Joint teams considered for Asian Games

SEVEN South Korean sports associations are considering forming joint teams with the DPRK for this year’s Asian Games in Indonesia, an official said yesterday.

At their groundbreaking summit on Friday, the latest step in a rapidly moving diplomatic sequence, top leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed to show solidarity by “jointly participating in international sports events such as the 2018 Asian Games.”

The phrasing left open whether it was a reference to unified teams, or marching together at opening ceremonies, as they have done at several past Olympics, including at this year’s Winter Games in Pyeongchang in South Korea.

A spokeswoman for South Korea’s national Olympic committee, however, said the country’s governing bodies for “basketball, judo, canoe, gymnastics, table tennis, rowing and soft tennis have expressed interest” but no details have been discussed yet.

Seoul’s unification ministry declined to comment on the issue but said the two sides will soon hold a working-level meeting that may include discussions on joint teams at the Asian Games.

Some sports bodies are already pushing ahead, proposing their own plans for the Asian Games, which will take place in Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2.

The Korean Canoe Federation said yesterday that a joint team for the dragon boat race — one of three canoe disciplines at the event — will be a good idea since neither Korea has a national team for it.

But South Korea’s football association has declined the joint team idea, Yonhap news agency reported.