[Yonhap Photo]
SEOUL, Jan. 18 (Aju News) -- The two Koreas have reached a tentative agreement on the participation of North Korean athletes in women's ice hockey, figure skating pairs, alpine and cross-country skiing at next month's Winter Olympics, the chief organizer said Thursday.
However, the size of a North Korean Winter Olympic team should be determined by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), chief organizer Lee Hee-beom told reporters before leaving for Lausanne for a final round of talks with IOC and North Korean officials this weekend.
In figure skating, the North Korean pair of Ryom Tae-ok and Kim Ju-sik qualified for an Olympic spot last September but missed an October 30 deadline to confirm their participation. The International Skating Union (ISU) has kept the door open for the North Korean pair to compete next month.
Separately, Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said just five to six North Korean players would be added to South Korea's female ice hockey team, although more than ten are expected to come.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
