(SFC) A senior government official from South Korea told the Korean Herald the country has invited North Korea to attend the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.
“We asked North Korea to participate in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games some two months ago via the Olympic Council of Asia,” Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Jong-gil told reporters.
“We also conveyed our hope via other channels for inviting not only its athletes but supporters. The North has yet to make any response, but I expect to hear good news from Pyongyang soon.”
A recently-scheduled meeting between the two countries – the first high-level talks in six years – was cancelled after a dispute regarding the level of chief delegates to attend the meeting.
Incheon Mayor Song Young-gil made a formal request to OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah and FIFA Vice President Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan to help invite North Korea to the upcoming Asian Games, the 17th incarnation to take place over the course of 16 days beginning 19 September.
The Games were awarded to Incheon in 2007 over Delhi, India, the third South Korean city to host them since Seoul in 1986 and Busan in 2002.
Pyongyang sent 184 athletes and more than 100 supporters to Busan 2002, the first time the North took part in an international competition held in South Korea since the armistice following the Korean War.
North Korea was among three countries of the 45 OCA members to not apply to participate in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Incheon, to be held from 29 June. East Timor and Afghanistan were the other two countries.
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