ROK proposes joint teams with DPRK for Tokyo Olympics

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Do Jong-hwan, minister of culture, sports and tourism of the Republic of Korea (ROK) said on Wednesday that he had proposed to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) that the two countries can set up joint teams for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, reported Yonhap News.

On Wednesday, Do and his DPRK counterpart Kim Il Guk watched the performance of the men's unified Korean rowing team together and discussed possible cooperation in the future.

"We talked about what to do with unified teams ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. And we've also exchanged opinions on holding regular inter-Korean sports talks, where we can discuss assembling more joint teams," said Do.

The joint women's hockey team of the ROK and the DPRK at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang /VCG Photo

The ROK and the DPRK have sent a joint team for women's hockey at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. The two sides extended such cooperation to women's basketball, rowing and canoeing at the 2018 Asian Games. The two countries have never competed as one team in Summer Olympics.

According to Yonhap News, Do has also invited the DPRK to attend 2019 National Sports Festival in Seoul and the International Swimming Federation (FINA) World Championships in Gwangju. Considering it will be the 100th edition of the National Sports Festival, Do said the DPRK will make the event more significant with their presence.

The ROK-DPRK joint team at Men's Lightweight Four of the 2018 Asian Games /VCG Photo

Do stated that though the two countries agree on many issues in principle, the DPRK will need to take a closer look at ROK's proposal after they return home from the 2018 Asian Games. He also said that his government could not decide alone over whether the two sides will send more joint teams in Tokyo than in Jakarta and Palembang.

"We certainly hope to have more, but we'll need to speak to the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, individual national sports federations and athletes," said Do.

(Cover: ROK's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Do Jong-hwan on the left and the DPRK Sports Minister Kim Il Guk on the right /Yonhap News)