hankyoreh

North Korea has announced it will not be participating in the CISM Military World Games in Mungyeong this October.

The South Korean Ministry of National Defense announced on Aug. 2 that North Korea had sent a July 31 message to the International Military Sports Council (CISM) in the name of the Korean People’s Army athletic guidance committee informing it that it would not be attending the event in the North Gyeongsang Province city. It did not give a reason for not attending.

North Korea has participated a total of five times in the event, which is held every four years. Its decision not to participate this year appears to be a reflection of ongoing frictions with Seoul.

To date, 5,400 people have applied to participate in the event from 72 countries, including China, Russia, Great Britain, and Germany, with more expected to apply from 37 other countries. The ten-day-long event starts on Oct. 2 and will be held in seven other cities and countries besides Mungyeong.

By Park Byong-su, senior staff senior

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