Pyeongchang Winter Olympics: DPRK and ROK to form unified Olympic team

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The decision to form a unified Olympic team is seen as a sign of improved relations between the DPRK and ROK. Let's take a look now, at some other recent achievements on the Korean Peninsula.

A series of inter-Korea talks at the truce village of Panmunjom have led to some significant symbolic breakthroughs, with the most recent being the decision for both sides to walk together under a "Korean Unification" flag at the opening ceremony o f next month's PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea.

The thaw in bilateral relations began on January 1st, 2018, when DPRK leader Kim Jong Un publicly expressed his country's willingness to attend next month's Winter Olympics. South Korea's President Moon Jae-in swiftly responded the next day.

Delegations from the North and the South sat down for talks on January 9th, in the hopes of easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula. 11 hours later, the DPRK confirmed it would take part in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. A military hotline that was suspended for nearly two years, was also reopened on the same day.

More progress was made during working-level talks on January 15th. The DPRK announced it would send its famous Samjiyon Orchestra to perform in South Korea during the PyeongChang Winter Games. And the two sides made a historic decision to form a united women's ice hockey team, after Seoul reportedly first proposed the idea during a meeting on January 9th.

The DPRK and South Korea will also hold cultural events at Mount Kumgang before the opening ceremony, and conduct ski training at Masikryong Ski Resort in the DPRK.

The International Olympic Committee will host talks on January 20th to discuss the details of the proposals. IOC President Thomas Bach said he is in favor of allowing the DPRK to participate in the figure skating pairs event, even though the country's two qualifying athletes missed a deadline for the event. He also committed to making efforts to allow DPRK athletes to compete in other events.

If all of the plans are realized a 230-member cheering squad, a 30-member taekwondo demonstration team and a 140-member orchestra from the DPRK could make their way to this year's Winter Olympics. Plus a 150-member delegation that includes athletes and cheerleaders could participate in this year's Paralympics as well.