At Paralympics Opening Ceremony

North, South Korea March Under Separate Flags

Date: 09 March 2018 - 22:02

News ID: ۵۰۹۳۱

SEOUL, South Korea (USA Today) – The rival Koreas continued their period of detente as the Winter Paralympics Games officially kicked off in Pyeongchang on Friday, but without a key symbol of that thaw: They marched under their own flags during the opening ceremony.
The decision to forego marching under the same blue-and-white Korean peninsula flag, as they did last month at the Olympic Games opening ceremony, came on the day that President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to hold direct talks.
North and South Korea chose not to march together following a complaint by Japan during the Olympic Games. The united Korean flag portrays disputed islands — known as Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima in Japan — that both countries claim. The islands are located in the Sea of Japan. North and South Korea couldn’t agree on a version of the flag to use, as the North insisted on keeping the islands.
But International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said the decision to march under separate flags doesn’t diminish the symbolism of the two Koreas coming together once again for an international sporting event. And during welcoming remarks at a reception before Friday's opening ceremony, South Korean President Moon Jae-in stressed the importance that the Olympics and Paralympics have played in opening the door for the peace process on the Korean peninsula.
"A small step to peace that started out a joint inter-Korean women’s ice hockey team has been growing rapidly like a snowball," he said.
Moon said the Pyeongchang Games were a precursor for the upcoming inter-Korean summit in April as well as the meeting between Trump and Kim that will be held before the end of May. "I believe the Pyeongchang Olympics and Paralympics as well as our endeavors for peace will help create a new global peace," Moon said.
The ceremony kicked off at the 35,000 seat stadium in Pyeongchang with a spectacular pyrotechnic display and light show before the parade of 49 competing nations.
North Korea has again sent a delegation to participate in the Games, which run until March 18. The 24-person delegation includes two athletes, Para Nordic cross-country skiers Kim Jong-hyon and Ma Yu-chol, who received a wildcard entry.
Four observer athletes and 18 officials from North Korea are also attending. Pyongyang’s headline-grabbing cheerleading squad did not make the trip.