UNIFIED KOREAN OLYMPIC TEAM TO MARCH AT OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES PYEONGCHANG 2018

North and South Korean athletes will march together at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony under a unified flag, in a diplomatic breakthrough following weeks of talks between the two countries - the first formal discussions between them since 2015.

The IOC approved the request of the National Olympic Committees of the Republic Of Korea (South Korea) and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) to have their delegations marching together as one under the name “Korea” at the Opening Ceremony.

The delegation will be led into the Olympic Stadium by the Korean Unification Flag, carried by two athletes, one from each NOC. There will be one female and one male athlete flagbearer. 

The two countries have marched under the flag before, in rare shows of unity, first at the 1991 World Table Tennis Championships, and at a number of sporting events since. It was most recently used at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

Under the “Olympic Korean Peninsula Declaration”, the IOC have also granted accreditations to the NOC of North Korea for 22 athletes in 3 sports and 5 disciplines. The athletes will be allowed to compete in figure skating, speed skating, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, and ice hockey.

The nations have agreed to form a joint women's ice hockey team for the Games, which will be the first of its kind in Olympic history. This unified team will be created by adding 12 players and one official from the NOC of North Korea to the existing South Korean Olympic squad of 23 players.

The two countries' skiers will also train together at a resort in North Korea before the Olympics start, and performers from the two countries will also hold a joint cultural event at Mount Kumgang.

President Thomas Bach thanked all the delegations and emphasised that the meeting had taken place in the Olympic spirit. He said: “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, and inviting the world to join in a celebration of hope.”  

“The Olympic Games show us what the world could look like, if we were all guided by the Olympic spirit of respect and understanding. This is the Olympic message that will go from PyeongChang to the world.”