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Minister of Culture

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Do Jong-hwan announced plans on Sept. 12 to propose jointly hosting the 2032 Olympics with North Korea.

Following a visit to Japan to attend a trilateral meeting of sports ministers with China and Japan, Do told South Korean correspondents in Tokyo that he planned to travel to Pyongyang during a schedule inter-Korean summit on Sept. 18–20 to “propose jointly hosting [the Olympics] in Seoul and Pyongyang.”

While President Moon Jae-in reportedly voiced his hopes for South and North Korea to jointly host the Summer Olympics to International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach during the latter’s South Korea visit late last month, Do’s announcement signals that Seoul plans to formally propose it to Pyongyang at the inter-Korean summit.

Do also pledged efforts to form unified inter-Korean teams for various events at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

“My plan is to meet with the North Korean Sports Minister and discuss events where [the fielding of unified teams] might be possible,” he said.

Do further plans to suggest the 2030 World Cup to North Korea as an event that the two sides could jointly host with other Northeast Asian countries.

“China is planning to apply to bid for [the World Cup], and my plan is to ask about pursuing a joint hosting arrangement in Asia with South and North Korea, China, and Japan,” he explained.

“If that happens, I think we can sustain the current trend of peace and achieve both peace in Northeast Asia and peace on the Korean Peninsula,” he added.

Do also examined the current status of possible performance venues during preparations for the visiting “Autumn Is Here” performance in South Korea by North Korean performers.

“We notified North Korea that performances would be possible at any time at venues in Ilsan, Gwangju, and Incheon,” he said.

“Since North Korean performers held performances this spring in Seoul and Gangneung, I think we may see one performance each within and outside the Seoul area,” he continued.

By Cho Ki-weon, Tokyo correspondent

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