[Aju News DB]
A North Korean taekwondo demonstration team led by International Olympic Committee member Chang Ung has been allowed to visit South Korea in the first inter-Korean sports exchange since a new liberal government took office in Seoul.
The team will arrive in South Korea Friday at the invitation of the Seoul-based World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) which will host an international competition in Muju from June 24-30, according to the South's unification ministry. The WTF is the IOC-sanctioned governing body of traditional Korean martial art.
The team includes Chang Ung, the honorary president of the North Korea-led International Taekwondo Federation (ITF), 12 performers, and others. The two taekwondo bodies held a joint performance at the 2015 WTF championships in Russia under an agreement to maintain exchanges and cooperation.
Sports officials hope the trip will lead to the North's participation in next year's Winter Olympics in the eastern ski resort of Pyeongchang. South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said last week that the presence of North Korean players would boost Olympic ticket sales.
Previously, sports games were used to promote inter-Korean reconciliation. North Korea took part in the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea's western port of Incheon. Seoul suspended almost all civilian inter-Korean exchanges in January 2016. President Moo Jae-in hopes to resume cross-border exchanges, but Pyongyang has yet to respond to his peace initiative due to high tensions.
Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
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