• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

North Korean Universiade Team Arrives

2003-08-20

A North Korean delegation arrived in Busan Wednesday (Aug. 20) to attend the Universiade in Daegu, South Korea's third largest city, reversing an earlier threat to boycott the games.

The 221-member delegation led by Chang Ung, the North Korean member of the International Olympic Committee, flew in Gimhae Airport on two North Korean national carrier flights.

The delegation, consisting of 94 athletes, 103 officials and 24 journalists, were received by Park Sang-ha, an executive member of the organizing committee and headed to the athletes' village in Daegu. A convoy of 23 sedans, buses and trucks carried them to the destination.

The North's 302-member cheering squad is expected to arrive at the airport in two separate flights at 5 p.m. and 5:10 p.m.

South and North Korean delegates plan to discuss how to organize a joint march in the opening ceremony of the Universiade slated for Thursday, according to officials.

The two sides, which last month agreed on the principle of a similar joint march to the Sydney Olympic Games, should have to work out such details as the number of participants in the parade, bearers of a unification flag with an image of the Korean Peninsula and the color of joint uniform.

Chang, concurrently chairman of the North Korea-led International Taekwondo Federation (ITF), is scheduled to meet with Kim Un-yong, the vice president of the IOC, at Interburgo Hotel in Daegu to discuss ways of expanding taekwondo exchanges and other athletic issues.

High on the agenda will be establishment of a working-level exchange committee between the WTF and the ITF, promotion of taekwondo in inter-Korean exchanges and fielding of a unified team at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

Chang, 65, has represented North Korea in most international conferences on sports since he was elected to the IOC in 1996. On Tuesday, North Korea withdrew its threat to boycott the world university games that open in South Korea Thursday.

The shift in the North Korean position came hours after South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun expressed regret over violent anti-Pyongyang protests in Seoul last week that led Pyongyang to announce its boycott decision.

It will be the North's second participation in an international sports event in South Korea following its entry into last year's Asian Games in Busan.

Source : www.korea.net