North, South Korea Could March as One in Olympic Opening Ceremony

(ATR) High-level talks between North and South Korea officials today open the door for North Korean participation at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.

Speaking for the first time since 2015 in the Demilitarized Zone’s peace village Panmunjeom, the officials from both sides agreed to ease military tensions between the countries as the Olympics approach. In order to accomplish this, the military hotline between the countries was reopened after two years of inactivity.

The primary topic of the meeting held Tuesday was North Korea’s participation in the PyeongChang Games. A senior South Korean official proposed that North and South Korean athletes march as one in the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 9. North and South Korean athletes marched together during the Turin 2006 Winter Games.

The North has not officially responded to the joint ceremony proposal, but did agree to send a high-level delegation to the Games, including athletes, National Olympic Committee members, a cheering squad, cultural performance troupe, taekwondo demonstration group, observers and press corps, according to a joint statement from the countries.

"The IOC warmly welcomes the proposals on which the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) have agreed upon," IOC President Thomas Bach said in a statement. "These proposals mark a great step forward in the Olympic spirit."

Much still needs to be resolved in order to facilitate the North’s participation in the Olympics. Sanctions against North Korea by the United Nations must be eased or lifted to allow the participation, and the delegations will likely come across the border by bus.

The IOC says it will facilitate the North’s participation as much as possible and is currently awaiting official reports from the meeting today.

"The IOC will discuss these proposals in particular as far as the participation, the number and names of athletes from the NOC of DPRK, and the format of their participation (flag, anthem, ceremonies, etc.) are concerned," the IOC said in a statement.

Further talks will be held between North and South Korea to allow the North to send an advance party to assess the Olympic sites in South Korea and to negotiate the schedule by exchanging written statements.

Outside of the Olympics, a special emphasis was placed on improving relations between the two countries. South Korea proposed a reunification ceremony for families separated by the Korea War during the Games on the Lunar New Year, according to South Korea vice minister of unification Hae Sung Chun. The last such reunion took place in October 2015.

The PyeongChang Olympic Organizing Committee is not commenting on the talks held on Jan. 9 as to not interfere with the government relations.

Two North Korean figure skaters qualified for the Olympics, but North Korea did not confirm their participation by the October 2017 deadline. However, the IOC is expected to grant the skaters a place in the Games in order to facilitate the peace gesture.

Meanwhile, the International Paralympic Committee will assess whether to grant North Korean athletes a wild-card spot in the Games during its Governing Board meeting Jan. 26-28, according to Yonhap.

IPC Governing Board member Sung Il Kim told Yonhap that despite having no North Korean athletes registered to compete in the Games, the IPC will consider allowing their athletes through the wild-card system.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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