ROK, DPRK and IOC to discuss Tokyo 2020 joint teams

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The sports ministers of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) will meet with Olympics chief Thomas Bach with a view to fielding unified teams at the Tokyo 2020 Games, the IOC said on Thursday.

The move comes after the two Koreas marched under a joint flag at the 2018 Winter Games, where they also sent out a unified women's ice-hockey team.

Bach said that after the "success of the Pyeongchang 2018 Games" a meeting would take place on February 15 at the IOC's headquarters in Lausanne between the respective players for a "working group to discuss future sporting cooperation."

The IOC president also said the objective was to not only form joint teams for the Olympics but also in the qualifying phases.

ROK's President Moon Jae-in (centre L), IOC President Thomas Bach (centre 3rd R), DPRK's ceremonial head of state Kim Yong Nam (centre 2nd R) and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un's sister Kim Yo Jong (centre R) meet the Unified Korea team players after the women's preliminary round ice hockey match during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games, February 10, 2018. /VCG Photo

Earlier reports suggest that the two Koreas have agreed to form joint teams in women's basketball, canoe and rowing, and are looking into organizing teams for table tennis, judo, and possibly others depending on whether the athletes in those sports would support such a move.

The two Koreas have fielded unified teams in women's basketball, canoeing and rowing at last year's Asian Games in Indonesia.

The 2020 Olympics is scheduled to take place in Tokyo from July 24 to August 9.

(With input from AFP)