Koreas march together as Winter Games begin

Pyeongchang ( South Korea), Feb. 9: The Pyeongchang Winter Olympics opened on Friday with North and South Korea marching together at a bitterly cold ceremony attended by the first member of North Korea’s ruling family to visit the South since the Korean War.

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was among a 500strong North Korean delegation visiting the South following an abrupt thaw in relations between the rival Korea’s in the run- up to the Games.

The delegation is led by the North Korean ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam, the highest ranked Northern official ever to visit the South. He shook hands after arriving with South Korean President Moon Jae- in, marking a high point for the rapprochement ahead of the Games dubbed the “peace Olympics” by the South.

For her part, Yo Jong is the first member of the ruling Kim family to visit the South since her grandfather Kim Il Sung, after his forces invaded in 1950 to launch the Korean War.

Only 22 North Korean athletes are taking part in what look set to be among the coldest ever Winter Games.

Expectations are skyhigh for an array of stars at Pyeongchang, including American skiers Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn, while the drama in figure skating centres on whether Japan’s “Ice Prince” Yuzuru Hanyu can recover from injury to retain his crown.

The sensational 15- yearold Alina Zagitova of Russia will take the spotlight in women’s figure skating, where a showdown is expected with her fellow Russian teen, Evgenia Medvedeva.

Another teenage breakout star could be Chloe Kim, 17, the American whose parents are Korean and who is tipped for gold in snowboard.