(ATR) For the first time ever a member of the ruling North Korea Kim family will visit South Korea.
Today the South Korean Unification Ministry and Blue House released statements confirming the composition of more high-level North Korean government leaders attending the 2018 Olympics. Headlining the list is Yo Jong Kim, the sister of North Korean leader Jong Un Kim.
Intense media speculation for weeks, in South Korea and abroad, centered on whether Kim would attend the Games. Earlier this week North Korea confirmed that president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly Yong Nam Kim would attend. He is leading the delegation, and at the time of the announcement would have been the highest ranking North Korean to ever visit South Korea.
Also in the delegation are Hwi Choe, chairman of the National Sports Guidance Committee, and Son Gwon Ri, chair of North Korea’s "Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland".
Complicating the delegation is the fact that Yo Jong Kim and and Hwi Choe appear on U.S. and United Nations sanctions lists. The lists prevent members from the North Korean ruling elite from travelling abroad. A Blue House spokesperson said there was no immediate comment about whether the pair had received waivers to travel to South Korea.
Euikyeom Kim, presidential spokesperson, said in a statement that the delegation by North Korea shows "its willingness to ease tensions on the Korean peninsula along with a message of celebration" for the upcoming Games.
"It is significant that the delegation also includes Yo Jong KIm, who is chairman Jong Un Kim’s sister and holds an important position in the Workers’ Party of Korea," Kim said. "The Korean Government will make sure that there will be no inconvenience during the stay of the North’s high-level delegation."
CAS Delays Ruling on Russian Appeals
The Court of Arbitration for Sport says decisions on two separate appeals against the IOC by Russian athletes may not happen until hours before the Games opening ceremony on Friday.
A hearing in the case of 32 Russian athletes seeking entry to the Olympics began on Wednesday at the CAS court in PyeongChang but was adjourned until midday Thursday. The IOC has until 9.00am on Thursday to file written submissions.
CAS says that when the hearing does resume the three-person panel will also be dealing with a second case filed on Wednesday by 15 Russian athletes and coaches who are also appealing the IOC decision to keep them out of the Games.
In both cases, the IOC says the athletes did not clear their doping protocols to be eligible.
The panel’s decisions are expected to be announced in Korea either late Thursday evening or on Friday morning Korea time.
Written by Aaron Bauer andGerard Farekin PyeongChang.
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