There are reports that North and South Korea could reach an agreement to field a single unified team at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games, according to former unification minister Jeong Se-hyun.
Jeong, chairman of the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation, said Wednesday “we are close to a proposal that a equal number of athletes from each country will be selected for the contingent. The two Koreas will continue working-level talks”.
He added that Kim Jung-kil, president of the Korea Olympic Committee (KOC), suggested that the torch be relayed from Seoul to Beijing through the route President Roh Moo-hun took on his way to Pyongyang but the North has not given any definite answer, reports the Korea Times.
The two sides have decided to use “Korea” as the name of the team with Dokdo Islet pictured on the flag and the “Arirang” Korean fold song the official song.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has welcomed the idea of easing tension on the Korean Peninsula through sports and China has said it would support a unified Korean team.
