hankyoreh

South Korean alpine ski team captain Rim Seung-hyun hugs North Korean alpine skier Kim Yu-jong during the inter-Korean joint training at the Masikryong Ski Resort on Feb. 1. (Photo Pool) 　

Around 190 South and North Korean athletes appear set to jointly enter with a Korean Peninsula flag at the opening ceremony for the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. The Pyeongchang Olympics Organizing Committee announced on Feb. 1 that the athletes would enter 91st and last with the Korean Peninsula flag during the opening ceremony at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium at 8 pm on Feb. 9. The first flags to be displayed will be the Olympic flag and the Taegeukgi, the flag of South Korea as host country. While 92 countries are participating, South and North Korea will be entering jointly as the 91st. Athletes are to enter in their alphabetical order in Korean as the host country’s language.

“More people than ever before will be taking part in the joint entrance,” organizing committee president Lee Hee-beom said on Jan. 31.

“Nearly all members of the North’s group will be participating, and around 70% of the South Korean group are expected, provided it does not cause any hindrance to athletes competing the following day,” Lee said.

The North Korean group consists of 46 members, including 22 athletes and 24 officials. South Korea will be presenting the largest group yet in Winter Olympics history at 219 members, including 114 athletes and 75 officials. With around 40 members participating from North Korea and 150 from South Korea, the size of the group entering jointly during the opening ceremony is predicted to be around 190. The IOC and Pyeongchang Olympics Organizing Committee both had the aim of having as many people as possible participate in the “march of peace.”

Approval for South and North Korea to enter jointly and use the Korean Peninsula flag at the opening ceremony was granted at inter-Korean athletic talks presided over by IOC president Thomas Bach in Lausanne, Switzerland on Jan. 21. Members of the South and North Korean groups are to enter jointly under the “KOREA” name, with two athletes from both sides holding the Unification flag showing the Korean Peninsula.

By Kim Chang-keum, staff reporter

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