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| The sight of North and South Korean skaters wearing the same jersey drew emotive responses from spectators and quickly became a Wintern Olympic favourite (AFP Photo/Brendan Smialowski) |
Seoul (AFP) - Seven South Korean sports associations are considering forming joint teams with North Korea for this year's Asian Games in Indonesia, an official told AFP Monday - but reports said football will not be joining them.
At their
groundbreaking summit on Friday, the latest step in a rapidly moving diplomatic
sequence, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the South's president Moon Jae-in
agreed to show solidarity by "jointly participating in international
sports events such as the 2018 Asian Games".
The
phrasing left open whether it was a reference to unified teams, or marching
together at opening ceremonies, as they have done at several past Olympics,
including this year's Winter Games in Pyeongchang in the South.
But a
spokeswoman for the South's national Olympic committee told AFP that the
country's governing bodies for "basketball, judo, canoe, gymnastics, table
tennis, rowing and soft tennis have expressed interest".
No details
had been discussed yet, she added.
Seoul's
unification ministry declined to comment on the issue but said the two sides
will soon hold a working-level meeting which may include discussions on joint
teams at the Asian Games.
Some sports
bodies are already pushing ahead, proposing their own plans for the Asian
Games, which will take place in Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to
September 2.
The Korean
Canoe Federation said Monday a joint team for the dragon boat race -- one of
three canoe disciplines at the event -- will be a good idea since neither Korea
has a national team for it.
"Even
if we form a joint team, it won't affect any existing athletes," the group
said in a statement.
The joint
teams could hold open practice sessions on the Han river in Seoul as well as
the Taedong river in Pyongyang, it added.
Final
whistle
But the
South's football association declined the idea, Yonhap news agency reported,
saying the move could require unwanted sacrifices from its players.
In South
Korea, male athletes who win gold at the Asian Games or any Olympic medal are
exempted from the country's mandatory two-year military service.
Tottenham
Hotspur forward Son Heung-min could be among the players seeking the Asian
Games title to enable him to extend his career in Europe without interruptions.
Son
withdrew from consideration for the South Korean team for London 2012 -- when
the side finished third, earnings its members the exemption -- to concentrate
on his club activities with Hamburg SV.
When a
joint women's ice hockey team was first mooted for the Winter Olympics it
provoked a backlash in the South, on the grounds that Seoul was depriving its
own athletes of the chance to compete on the Olympic stage.
Ultimately
the sight of North and South Korean skaters wearing the same jersey and passing
the puck to each other drew emotive responses from spectators and quickly
became an Olympic favourite, despite the team being thrashed in all five of
their matches.
The
rapprochement on the peninsula was triggered by the Games, to which the North's
Kim sent athletes, cheerleaders and his sister as an envoy.
Friday's
historic meeting saw Kim and Moon agree to pursue the complete denuclearisation
of the peninsula and to improve inter-Korean relations.
Seoul's
defence ministry said Monday it will start removing propaganda loudspeakers
along the border with the North on Tuesday.
South and North Korea consider joint teams for this year's Asian Games in Indonesia https://t.co/mRJFvWPlqz pic.twitter.com/4lNa2zmPGZ— AFP news agency (@AFP) April 30, 2018
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