By Hur SomEe and Sohn JiAe

On Feb. 5, the Ministry of Unification welcomed a high-ranking North Korean delegation that will visit South Korea during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games and vowed to make inter-Korean dialog happen during the visit.

Ministry spokesperson Baek Tae-hyun said in a press briefing that, “The South Korean government will make sure that the delegation will attend some sporting events and other cultural events, as well as the Opening Ceremony, during its time here. We will also formulate talks between the two Koreas.”

Regarding a specific itinerary, the government will negotiate with Pyongyang via the established liaison channels at the Panmunjom truce village, said the spokesperson. “The government hopes that the visit of high-ranking North Korean representatives will turn the Olympic Games into a Games of Peace and, moreover, help restore inter-Korean ties and establish peace across the Korean Peninsula,” he said.

On Feb. 4, prior to these remarks, Pyongyang announced that a delegation of three representatives, along with 18 support staff, led by Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly in North Korea, would visit South Korea from Feb. 9 to 11.

sehp91@korea.kr