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N. Korean Delegation Arrives for Peace Festival

2003-10-24

The North Korean delegation for the Korea Peace Festival, the first civil-organized event involving the two Koreas, arrived in Jeju Island on Thursday (Oct. 23) to a warm welcome from residents of the scenic resort island.

A total of 190 athletes and officials, led by Kim Yong-dae, chairman of the North's National Reconciliation Council, arrived at Jeju airport on two chartered airplanes around 11 a.m.

"We express our appreciation to festival organizers of the South and Jeju citizens for their heart-felt welcome," Kim said after the delegation's arrival. "This festival is an event to congratulate in that athletes and people from the South and North gather together, enhancing mutual cooperation."

The North's delegation then headed to the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Jeju City, where they will be accommodated throughout the festival, and participated in a luncheon before holding working-level talks to fine-tune the event's details.

Initially, the North promised to send as many as 400 representatives to the sports and cultural festival, but then cut the delegation by half earlier this week, citing "unavoidable internal situations."

As a result, the female brass band and artists will not be taking part in the event but the delegation still includes such dignitaries as Kim and Jon Kum-jin, vice chairman of the North Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, as well as sports stars like marathoners Jong Song-ok and Ham Pong-sil, judoka Kye Sun-hui and footballer Ri Kum-suk. However, Jong and Kye will not join the competition.

The Korea Peace Festival kicks off on Friday at Seogwipo World Cup Stadium with two torches; one lit at the North's Mt. Baekdusan and the other at Mt. Halla in the South, being combined into one to signal the unity of the two Koreas, divided for more than 50 years.

The three-day festival will see competition in three sporting events; football, table tennis and half-marathon, as well as three traditional events; swing, seesaw and ssireum - with 194 South Korean athletes and officials taking part.

The festival was originally scheduled for July but was postponed in May due to fears surrounding the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Source : www.korea.net