Olympics organisers wait on North Korea

Nov 14, 2017 - 9:24 PM South Korean organisers of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang expect North Korea to hold off for as long as possible on deciding whether to participate, the country's top sports official has said.

"We are very hopeful and expect them (North Korean athletes) to be able to participate in the Games," South Korean Sports Minister Do Jong-hwan said at an Olympics preview event in New York.

"At the same time, we do know that this may be a very last-minute decision by North Korea."

The Winter Games commence on February 9 and run through to February 25.

The International Olympic Committee is urging North Korea to participate, which could help ease safety and security concerns about the Games arising from Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile tests.

Organisers have said the Games will be safe.

"The IOC has expressed their willingness to support North Korea in terms of training costs and other costs related to participating at the Games," Do said.

North Korea did not have any athletes at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.

In late September, North Korea secured qualification for its first athletes at the Pyeongchang Olympics when figure skaters Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik finished in the top six in a qualifying event in Germany.

"It's very positive news. It means that they do have athletes who are eligible which is a positive sign for us. In terms of other sports, we are aware that there are North Korean athletes training for cross country (skiing) as well as other ice skating categories," Do said.

In 1988 when South Korea hosted the Summer Olympics, North Korea boycotted the event after a plan to co-host fell apart.

As of Tuesday, 43 heads of state and approximately 6,500 athletes from 95 nations and six continents were registered to attend the Games, according to Pyeongchang's organising committee.

Source: AAP