IOC President Thomas Bach today announced that a delegation from the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) will participate at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.
President Bach said: “The Olympic Games are always about building bridges. They never erect walls. The Olympic spirit is about respect, dialogue and understanding. The Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 are hopefully opening the door to a brighter future on the Korean peninsula.”
Under the “Olympic Korean Peninsula Declaration”, the IOC will grant accreditations to the NOC of the DPRK for 22 athletes in three sports and five disciplines.
Athletes from the National Olympic Committee of DPRK will compete in Figure Skating, Short Track Skating, Cross Country Skiing, Alpine Skiing and in a Unified Women’s Hockey Team.
The International Olympic Committee Executive Board approved the unification of the two delegations to create one Korean women’s ice hockey team. For the first time in their Olympic history, the two Korean NOCs will unite to compete under the Korean Unification Flag as one team in an Olympic Winter sport event.
Bach went on to say: “Until today we met separately with the parties on a bilateral basis to address an often fast-changing political situation. Today is therefore a great day, because the Olympic spirit has brought all sides together.”
Do Jong-hwan, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea Korea said: “We have made decisions today that will be remembered as highlights of Olympics history. This Olympics will be the most meaningful and successful Games the world has ever witnessed. It is all about peace and unification as that is what the Olympics is about. It will help advance the relationship between North and South Koreas and establish peace between the two”.
Kim Il-Guk, President of the NOC of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and DPRK Sports Minister added: “I would like to thank the IOC committee members for their hospitality and their efforts to carry out the meeting where we discussed all aspects of the Games”.
North Korean and Republic of Korea teams have competed under the same banner in the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens summer games.
 of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) will participate at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.){kind=link}