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North Korea is 'likely to participate' in winter games: Olympics official

This undated picture released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on December 09, 2017 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visiting Mount Paektu in Ryanggang Province. (Photo by AFP)

North Korea has said that it will "likely" participate in the upcoming Winter Olympic Games, in South Korea.

North Korea's representative to the International Olympic Committee, Chang Ung, made the announcement on Saturday in Beijing International Airport ahead of a trip to Switzerland to discuss the subject with the International Olympic Committee.

The announcement comes one day after North Korea agreed to hold high-level talks with South Korea next week.

During his New Year's Day address, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said Pyongyang was mulling the sending of a delegation to the Winter Olympics Games set to be held at Pyeongchang, South Korea, in February.

"North Korea's participation in the Winter Games will be a good opportunity to show unity of the people and we wish the Games will be a success. Officials from the two Koreas may urgently meet to discuss the possibility," he said.

The US military agreed to delay yet another round of joint war games with South Korea until after the Winter Olympics with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis insisting that the move was merely a practical necessity to accommodate the games and not a political gesture.

The first formal talks between North and South in more than two years are set to take place in a border town on Tuesday as the rivals try to find ways to cooperate on the Winter Olympics in the South and to improve their ties.


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