North Korea holds talks with South at the DMZ: Live updates

For South and North Korea, two countries still technically at war, sport has, throughout the years, helped ease tensions on the peninsula.

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, athletes of the Koreas walked as one for the first time in an Olympic opening ceremony under a "unification flag" which displayed a blue map of the Korean peninsula. They entered the Olympic stadium to the tune of a Korean folk song.

Four years later, in Athens, they marched again and did so in 2006 at the Turin Winter Olympics, though athletes from the two countries have not walked together since the Asian Winter Games in 2007.

There's been no mention yet of whether the teams will march together at the PyeongChang Games next month.

 

South Korea proposes military talks, family reunions

From CNN's Taehoon Lee in Seoul:

South Korean negotiators have proposed holding military talks to discuss preventing accidental conflicts and reunions of separated families, the South's Unification Ministry says.

“In addition, we expressed the need to promptly resume dialogue for peace settlement, including denuclearization, and based on the mutual respect (the two Koreas) cooperate and stop activities that would raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula,” Vice Minister Chun Hae-sung told reporters.

South Korea suggested family reunions could take place in February when Koreans celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The first talks in two years between North and South Korea are expected to resume later this afternoon.

BREAKING: North Korea to send team to Olympics

From CNN's Taehoon Lee in Seoul:

South Korea's Unification Ministry said North Korea has agreed to send representatives to the Winter Olympics next month.

Vice Minister Chun Hae-sung told reporters that “With regard to Pyeongchang, North Korea expressed its stance that it will send a high-level delegation, athletes representing the People’s Olympic Committee, a cheering squad and an art troupe, a visitors group, a Taekwondo demonstration team and a press corp.”

Talks have wrapped up for the morning and will resume later this afternoon, Chun said.

News Courtesy: www.cnn.com