Over 100 S. Koreans arrive in Pyongyang for inter-Korean basketball games
- 6 years ago
통일농구경기 방북단, 평양 도착... 조명균-원길우 환담
It's game time for the two Koreas.
Seoul's team crossed the border for some basketball friendlies to be played tomorrow and Thursday..
The group includes.... the unification minister as well as some senior sports figures.
Oh Jung-hee starts us off with the hotly anticipated inter-Korean sports exchange.
A group of over 100 South Koreans arrived in the North Korean capital Tuesday morning... for the inter-Korean basketball games this week.
The group is led by Seoul's unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon... and includes four other government officials, 50 male and female basketball players, 30 members of the press, 15 support staff, and one court announcer.
Pyongyang's vice sports minister came out to Pyongyang's Sunan airport to welcome the South Koreans.
Seoul's unification minister Cho said he's deeply moved to be there in Pyongyang.
He added... he brought from the South warm hearts yearning for reconciliation and cooperation, and so he'll make sure to deliver that feeling to the North Korean citizens.
North Korea's vice sports minister Won Kil-u said he fervently welcomes the South Koreans and added he's proud sports are paving the way for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The South Koreans' visit comes as the two Koreas agreed at their sports talks in June to hold the 'South-North unification basketball games' in July.
They will play four friendly matches in total -- two games each on Wednesday and Thursday.
No national flags or anthems will be used.
But these basketball games are than just friendly matches... because the female basketball players from both sides will form a unified team for the upcoming Asian Games in August.
And the South Korean basketball authorities now traveling to Pyongyang will be eager to see the standard of the North Korean players and assess how well the two sides can play together.
This will be the fourth inter-Korean basketball games -- with the last one held 15 years ago.
The South Korean group will fly back to Seoul on Friday.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.
It's game time for the two Koreas.
Seoul's team crossed the border for some basketball friendlies to be played tomorrow and Thursday..
The group includes.... the unification minister as well as some senior sports figures.
Oh Jung-hee starts us off with the hotly anticipated inter-Korean sports exchange.
A group of over 100 South Koreans arrived in the North Korean capital Tuesday morning... for the inter-Korean basketball games this week.
The group is led by Seoul's unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon... and includes four other government officials, 50 male and female basketball players, 30 members of the press, 15 support staff, and one court announcer.
Pyongyang's vice sports minister came out to Pyongyang's Sunan airport to welcome the South Koreans.
Seoul's unification minister Cho said he's deeply moved to be there in Pyongyang.
He added... he brought from the South warm hearts yearning for reconciliation and cooperation, and so he'll make sure to deliver that feeling to the North Korean citizens.
North Korea's vice sports minister Won Kil-u said he fervently welcomes the South Koreans and added he's proud sports are paving the way for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The South Koreans' visit comes as the two Koreas agreed at their sports talks in June to hold the 'South-North unification basketball games' in July.
They will play four friendly matches in total -- two games each on Wednesday and Thursday.
No national flags or anthems will be used.
But these basketball games are than just friendly matches... because the female basketball players from both sides will form a unified team for the upcoming Asian Games in August.
And the South Korean basketball authorities now traveling to Pyongyang will be eager to see the standard of the North Korean players and assess how well the two sides can play together.
This will be the fourth inter-Korean basketball games -- with the last one held 15 years ago.
The South Korean group will fly back to Seoul on Friday.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.