Winter Paralympics: IPC invites two North Korean skiers to take part
- Published
The North Korea team took part in the opening ceremony of London 2012
Two North Korean nordic skiers have been invited by the International Paralympic Committee to take part in March's Winter Paralympics.
If the offer is accepted, North Korea would march together with South Korean athletes under a unified flag at the opening ceremony in Pyeongchang.
Jonghyon Kim and Yuchol Ma both made their international debuts at January's World Cup in Germany.
The Games run from 9-18 March and will feature 650 athletes from 45 countries.
The IPC said it has been working with the Pyeongchang organising committee, the National Paralympic Committees of South and North Korea and government officials to try to get North Korea to take part at a first Winter Paralympics.
The country has competed previously at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, to which it sent one and two athletes respectively.
"I am extremely hopeful that the country will compete at its first Paralympic Winter Games this March," said IPC president Andrew Parsons.
"We want as many countries as possible competing and I think North Korea's participation will send out a very strong message of bringing peace through sport."