Winter Olympics: IOC says North Korea to send 22 athletes in five sports

North and South Korea to field a unified women’s hockey team

January 20, 2018 06:24 pm | Updated 06:27 pm IST - LAUSANNE

 IOC President Thomas Bach stands while Mr. Kim Il Guk, DPR Korea, Sport Minister and President of the Olympic Committee and Mr. Jong Whan Do, South Korea, Minister of Culture, sports and tourism, shakes hands

IOC President Thomas Bach stands while Mr. Kim Il Guk, DPR Korea, Sport Minister and President of the Olympic Committee and Mr. Jong Whan Do, South Korea, Minister of Culture, sports and tourism, shakes hands

The IOC says 22 North Korean athletes will compete in the Pyeongchang Olympics next month and both Korean teams will march together in the opening ceremony.

IOC President Thomas Bach says the North Koreans will compete in five sports disciplines, including a unified women’s hockey team.

The others are figure skating, short track speed skating, Alpine skiing and cross-country skiing.

The North Korean delegation will include 24 coaches and officials at the February 9-25 Winter Games.

Mr. Bach offers “sincere thanks to the governments of North and South Korea”.

The agreement became possible after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said three weeks ago that a team could cross the border to compete.

Mr. Bach did not take questions and was flanked by Olympic and government officials from both countries at a brief news conference.

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