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The first day of the 20th round of reunions for divided Korean families at Mt. Kumgang resort in Oct. 2015. (Shin So-young, staff photographer))
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Top sports officials discuss sports exchange and cooperation during 2018 Asian Games
There’s considerable interest in the results of a recent meeting in Jakarta between South Korean Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Do Jong-hwan and North Korean Sports Minister Kim Il-guk. The two sports ministers reportedly discussed ways to cooperate on sports exchange during a backroom meeting on the evening of Aug. 19 in an undisclosed location in Jakarta, Indonesia, which is hosting the 2018 Asian Games, along with Palembang. “Next year’s Korean National Sports Festival, which will be held in Seoul, will be very significant since this will be its 100th anniversary,” Do said during a meeting with South Korean reporters after he arrived in Jakarta on the evening of Aug. 17. “When the Korea Sports Council was launched 100 years ago, there was no distinction between South and North. I’m planning to meet with North Korean Sports Minister Kim Il-guk to see if there’s anything that South and North Korea can do during next year’s Korean National Sports Festival,” Do said. The Korea Sports Council, the forerunner of today’s Korean Sport and Olympics Committee, was established on July 13, 1920. Another topic that Do said would be discussed during his meeting with Kim is the specific schedule and location of the next inter-Korean unification basketball match, which will be held in Seoul, following last month’s match in Pyongyang. Do said that the next match would be held before the 2018–2019 professional basketball season kicks off on Oct. 13. Do also said that the two ministers would be discussing whether it would be possible for inter-Korean sports meetings to be held regularly and for North Korea to attend next year’s FINA World Aquatics Championships, which will be held in Gwangju. In addition, Do emphasized the importance of inter-Korean sports exchange: “Given the hosting of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and other events, this is a year in which sports will play a decisive role in the destiny of our nation. Sports exchange can continue even when inter-Korean relations are at a standstill.” Do arrived in Indonesia on the evening of Aug. 17 with officials from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. At 10 am on Aug. 20, Do is planning to watch the unified inter-Korean women’s basketball team in its match with India in the third qualifying round, which will be held at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta. After heading to Palembang the next day to watch unified Korean teams compete in the canoeing and rowing events, Do will return to South Korea on Aug. 22 to appear before a standing committee in the National Assembly. By Kim Kyung-moo, senior staff writer Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
