Koreas Unite for Winter Olympics

(ATR) The International Olympic Committee approves the proposals to allow North Korean athletes to participate in the Olympics in South Korea with larger numbers than expected.

The agreement signed Saturday in Lausanne allows 22 North Korean athletes to compete in the Winter Games, three weeks away.

The pact with the IOC includes three sports and five disciplines, including the Olympic first of a joint Korean women’s ice hockey team. South Korea’s team will add 12 North Koreans in addition to their 23 national players.

The athletes will be joined by 24 coaches and officials, as well as 21 North Korean media representatives.

The 22 North Korean athletes will march alongside the South Koreans athletes in the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 9 under the Korean Unification Flag and the sole country name of "Korea". The women's hockey team will also compete under this name with a new uniform, but all other athletes will compete under their respective country's flag and uniforms.

Also included is a proposal for IOC President Bach to visit North Korea, previously undisclosed.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach announced the accord following a summit of North Korean and South Korean Olympic leaders and PyeongChang 2018 President Hee Beom Lee that lasted less than three hours Saturday morning.

It's official! IOC President Thomas Bach says 22 North Korean athletes will participate in the @pyeongchang2018 Winter #Olympics in South #Korea pic.twitter.com/ZkbpBS3Gw5

"Until today, we met separately with the parties on a bilateral basis to address an often fast-changing political situation in a comprehensive way," Bach told the large press corps gathered in the museum. "Today is therefore a great day, because the Olympic spirit has brought all sides together.

"Let us not forget that such an agreement would have seemed impossible only a few weeks ago. In this respect, I would like to express my most sincere thanks to the governments of the DPRK and the ROK for paving the way for these discussions."

After his statement, Bach posed with National Olympic Committee leaders Il Guk Kim from the DPRK and Kee Heung Lee of the South Korean NOC, PyeongChang 2018 President Hee Beom Lee, Winter Olympic Federations President Gian-Franco Kasper and PyeongChang 2018 Coordination Commission chair Gunilla Lindberg.

The Olympic leaders then signed the official declaration on a replica of the desk of Olympic founder Pierre de Coubertin. The declaration approved the number of athletes and officials, proposal for large squads of cheerleaders, musicians and a taekwondo squad from North Korea.

The 22 North Korean athletes will compete in women’s hockey (12), figure skating (2), short track speed skating (2), cross-country skiing (3) and alpine skiing (3).

"The Olympic athletes can show us the way," Bach said. "They show us how to compete peacefully. They show us how, despite all our differences, it is possible for humankind to live together in peace, respect and harmony.

"In this way, the Olympic Games show us what the world could look like, if we were all guided by the Olympic spirit of respect and understanding."

The PyeongChang 2018 Olympics begin Feb. 9 and conclude Feb. 25.

Reported and written by Kevin Nutley in Lausanne.

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