Olympic leaders are hopeful as North Korea is extending an olive branch

On the same day that North Korea wished success for the upcoming 2018 Winter Games in South Korea, Olympic leaders expressed confidence that the global sporting event can reach “beyond all political division.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un spoke about the Games during his annual New Year’s Day address, saying his country might meet with South Korean officials to discuss sending a Northern delegation to Pyeongchang during the competition next month.

“The Winter Olympic Games that will be held soon in the South will be a good opportunity to display the status of the Korean nation and we sincerely wish that the event will be held with good results,” Mr. Kim was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.

While he boasted that it’s “reality, not a threat, that the nuclear button is always on my desk,” Mr. Kim also called for improved relations with the South, an idea mentioned in speeches more often than it is met.

In a separate message, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said he was confident that the games can be held without incident.

“We know about the political tensions on the Korean Peninsula,” Mr. Bach said in a statement.

South Korean television stations stopped broadcasting thespeech before it ended.

But at the same time, South Korea’s presidential office said it welcomed the proposal to hold talks between government officials over the issue of North Korea sending a delegation to the Olympics. The office of President Moon Jae-in said the successful hosting of the Pyeongchang Olympics would contribute to peace and harmony not only on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, but in the entire world.

The Winter Olympics begin in early February.