Olympics First Step in Broader Korean Diplomatic Talks

(ATR) A number of South Korean government ministries released a joint statement putting the PyeongChang Olympics at the beginning of a broader foreign policy that includes further diplomacy with North Korea.

The joint statement was released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense, Unification Ministry, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

"First of all, the five ministries will be ready for the Pyeongchang Olympic Games to be successfully held in Korea," the joint statement read. "We will do our best to build "peace" in the world."

Each ministry’s part in the broader policy objective is laid out in the statement. The ministries will work together to harmonize plans to promote the "Peace Olympics," with an eye on future dialogue with North Korea.

North and South Korea this week released a joint statement confirming a delegation for the 2018 Winter Olympics. In addition, South Korean athletes will hold a training session in a North Korean ski resort. North Korea will also send a cheer squad, taekwondo demonstration team, and orchestra.

"The government joint support team will prepare for the PyeongChang Olympic Games to be robust and safe, while emphasizing that the inter-Korean dialogue will continue to improve the inter-Korean relations and the peace on the Korean peninsula," the joint statement continued.

The statement makes multiple references to the South Korea-United States security alliance, and the need to continue the ongoing pressure campaign on North Korea while pushing for talks. Multiple references are made to the end goal of denuclearization of North Korea for lasting peace. Denuclearization remains a core tenant of U.S. foreign policy with regards to North Korea. South Korea also said it will work tohave "North Korea and the US enter the process of dialogue" regarding denuclearization.

Questions remain on whether a North Korean delegation to the Olympics or the South Korean delegation to the Mt. Kumgang ski resort would violate international sanctions. These questions were addressed to the South Korean media by Foreign Minister Kyung Wha Kang, who assured journalists South Korea remains committed to enforcing the United Nations Security Council multilayered sanctions on North Korea.

"There should be no controversy regarding the North's PyeongChang Olympic participation running counter to international sanctions," Kang said to Yonhap TV. "The UNSC has its sanctions framework on North Korea's nuclear and missile developments.

"The ministers agreed that sanctions and pressure will continue on North Korea as it keeps developing nuclear weapons and missiles. We reaffirmed that the North Korean nuclear problem should be solved with peaceful and diplomatic ways and such pressure and sanctions are diplomatic tools to lead Pyongyang to denuclearization talks."

Talks that have been led by the two Korean governments will now shift temporarily to Lausanne with the IOC. There, the size and protocols of the North Korean delegation will be ironed out amid four-party talks.

The two Koreas have proposed marching together under a unification flag at the Opening Ceremony for PyeongChang and combining to field a joint women’s hockey team. North and South Korea marched together at the 2000, 2004, and 2006 Olympics, but have never combined for a unified team at the Olympics.

Both proposals have revealed sharp divides in Korea according to international media reports. South Korean women’s ice hockey coach Sarah Murray also told Korean reporters that adding new players to the team so close to the Olympics could "damage" team chemistry. Murray said she had not heard of such a proposal until media reports mentioned it.

"I hope that I am not being pressured to play (North Koreans)," Murray said to Yonhap. "I just want the best players to play. If you play your best, then you earn your ice time. Whether you're South Korean or North Korean, they have to earn their place."

Despite a projection of peace from Korean government officials, the negotiations for a North Korean delegation still have seen some hiccups. Today, the South Korean government said in a statement that North Korea abruptly cancelled a plan to send an advanced team to view venues in Seoul and Gangneung for the visiting orchestra.

"At around 10:00 p.m., the North informed the South that it will suspend the advance team's scheduled trip," a statement from the South Korean Unification Ministry said.

It remains unclear if this was a suspension of the advanced team or a full cancellation.

Ticket Sales Update

With under three weeks until the 2018 Games, PyeongChang 2018 says ticket sales are nearing the 70 percent threshold.

A total of 744,822 domestic and international tickets have been sold for the 2018 Winter Olympics, comprising 69.7% of total available tickets. The most popular tickets for the Games are short track speed skating, alpine skiing, and bobsleigh, all of which have surpassed 80 percent sales.

PyeongChang 2018 has also announced a noticeable uptick in Paralympic Games ticket sales. So far 154,952 tickets have been sold, representing 70.4% of total tickets available.

The new sales figures were released just over a month after PyeongChang 2018 reported that only around five percent of Paralympics tickets had been sold. Around the Rings understands that many of the sales since then may have come from group sales to schools for the Paralympics.

"We are greatly encouraged by the increase in ticket sales and are looking forward to seeing strong crowds for the Games," Craig Spence, International Paralympic Committee communications director, said to ATR regarding the new figure.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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