[Yonhap News Photo]
North Korea's International Olympic Committee member Chang Ung left open IOC-sponsored discussions on forming a unified Korea team in women's hockey that would compete in next year's Winter Olympics in South Korea's eastern ski resort of Pyeongchang.
"That will be discussed when IOC president (Thomas Bach) comes," Chang told reporters at an airport in Seoul Friday when a North Korean taekwondo demonstration team, marking the first inter-Korean sports exchange since a new government took office in Seoul.
The idea requires "IOC's intervention", he said, suggesting that as an IOC member, he could deliver North Korea's stance if discussions are held during Bach's upcoming trip to South Korea.
Previously, sports games were used to promote inter-Korean reconciliation. North Korea took part in the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea's western port of Incheon. Seoul suspended almost all civilian inter-Korean exchanges in January 2016. President Moo Jae-in hopes to resume cross-border exchanges, but Pyongyang has yet to respond to his peace initiative due to high tensions.
South Korea's new Sports Minister Do Jong-hwan said earlier that he would
have discussions with Bach and Chang on putting together a joint Korean hockey squad.
The Koreas have fielded joint teams in table tennis and men's football, but they have never had a single squad in any Olympic sport. South Korea's female hockey team earned an Olympic spot as the host nation. North Korea didn't even compete in the qualifying tournament.
Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
