North Korea may participate in Winter Olympics, says Kim

SEOUL: Kim Jong-un gave the first indication that North Korea could participate in next month’s Winter Olympics in the South, despite tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programme.

“I sincerely hope the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics will be staged successfully,” said Kim, the North Korean leader, in his new year’s address to the nation yesterday.

“We are willing to take necessary measures including to dispatch our delegation. For this purpose, authorities of the North and South would be able to meet in the near future,” he said.

Lee Hee-beom, the head of the Pyeongchang Olympic Organising Committee welcomed Kim’s comments.

“We actively welcome the North’s suggestion that it is willing to engage in talks for the participation in the Olympics”, Lee said.

“We’ve been preparing for the Olympics on the assumption that the North will eventually take part in the Games,” he said, adding that all athletes, including North Koreans, would feel at home during their stay in Pyeongchang.

He said relevant government authorities of the two Koreas should hold talks to discuss details although there was no immediate response from the South’s government.

Seoul and organisers have billed the Winter Games which begin on Feb 9 as a “peace Olympics” and have been keen for the North to take part.

Two North Korean athletes – pairs figure skaters Ryom Tae-ok and Kim Ju-sik – have qualified for the Games but the North Korean Olympic Committee missed an Oct 30 deadline to confirm to the International Skating Union that they would participate.

The pair could still compete if given an invitation by the International Olympic Committee.

The Winter Olympic main venues are just 80km from the heavily fortified border with the North.