(ATR) The South Korean Unification Ministry says it proposed a second round of talks with North Korea for Jan. 15.
A statement from the ministry said officials communicated a desire to hold a second round of talks on the Panmunjom secure hotline. The hotline was used earlier this month as official contact between the two Koreas was revived for the first time since 2015.
"In addition, we have provided materials to the North, which summarized the position of our side in relation to participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games and cultural events," the statement read.
A number of issues regarding the travel and accommodation of the North Korean delegation will need to be sorted out before PyeongChang 2018. Recent United Nations Security Council sanctions means high level North Korean officials are barred from traveling to South Korea and South Korea cannot send money directly to North Korea.
According to media reports, it is likely that North Korean officials not on the UN's blacklist will have to fly to South Korea through Beijing to avoid violating sanctions. Land travel has also been proposed as a possible alternative to satisfy sanctions.
South Korea has also proposed a joint march of the two countries at the 2018 Winter Olympic Opening Ceremony. Also, Vice Sports Minister Tae Kang Roh confirmed to Yonhap that a joint women’s hockey team has been proposed.
Both of these issues will be discussed in Lausanne during four-party talks. The talks will likely deal with the legality of a dual hockey team and if current members of the teams would be allowed to keep their Olympic spots.
A proposal for a joint hockey team emerged last year from South Korean sports minister Jong Hwan Do, but according to Yonhap it was met with criticism. North Korea and South Koreas women’s hockey teams played a match at the Gangneung Ice Arena last April as part of PyeongChang 2018 test events.
"Even if we have one Korean team in women's hockey, we'll make sure it will not come at the expense of South Korean players," Roh said to Yonhap.
South Korea and North Korea marched together at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games opening ceremonies. The only time joint Korean teams have participated in international competition was the 1991 Table Tennis World Championships and the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championships.
Written by Aaron Bauer
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