The International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Thomas Bach, said on Thursday that he was pleased to see the talks between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) in Pyongyang this week. Bach also gave a speech at a ceremony in Seoul where he was awarded an "honorary citizenship" of the ROK capital. 

Praising the talks as an "initiative paved by the Olympics", Bach said: "We hope that finally when these talks [happen, it] will lead to a peaceful situation on the Korean Peninsula and for the world." Hoping that it will result in a peaceful resolution for the world, he assured: "Our cooperation with the NOC of the DPRK is continuing anyway like with all other 206 National Olympic Committees (NOC), so we will continue to support to the athletes and the National Olympic Committees, while respecting the UN sanctions."

Bach earlier noted he would accept the DPRK's invitation to visit as part of an agreement between the IOC and both DPRK and ROK. But no date has been set. In 2017, DPRK had boasted of its plans to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the mainland United States. However, fears of all-out war eased in February, coinciding with DPRK's participation in the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.