North and South Korea continue talks on PyeongChang Winter Olympics

According toYonhapRepresentatives of the two countries began negotiations at 10:11 a.m. (local time) at the truce village of Panmunjom on the North Korean side.

North Korea has previously agreed to send a delegation of athletes, cheerleaders, an art troupe and taekwondo demonstration teams to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, which will take place from February 9-25.

“The possibility of a North Korean art delegation attending the Pyongchang Winter Olympics is attracting attention from both South Korea and the international community,” Lee Woo-sung, an official from the South Korean Ministry of Culture, said, stressing that “we will have a calm dialogue to achieve the best results.”

Meanwhile, North Korean representative Kwon Hyok-bong, Director of the North Korean Performing Arts Department, said that it is likely that the country's all-female band Moranbong will be sent to attend the PyeongChang Olympics.

The Moranbong Band was founded in July 2012 by order of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The band specializes in performing Western music.

Experts believe that the musical performance will be a good way for North Korea to build a better image with the international community after the country made a "series of provocative moves" with nuclear and missile tests.

“Sending an art troupe to Korea will help promote reconciliation efforts between the two sides. However, the two countries need to discuss details such as the delegation’s costumes and performance style,” said Cheong Seong-chang, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute in South Korea.

Earlier, on January 12, the South Korean government proposed holding working group talks on North Korea's participation in the PyeongChang Olympics. However, the North Korean side wanted to discuss sending an art troupe to the event first.

Despite accepting the North's proposal, South Korea has urged North Korea to respond quickly to its dialogue offer. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is also scheduled to meet with officials from the two Koreas in Lausanne, Switzerland, to discuss details of North Korea's participation in the PyeongChang Olympics.

Last week, South Korea also proposed that athletes from both Koreas march together at the PyeongChang Olympics opening ceremony. North Korea said that this was a “very positive” proposal because South Korea also proposed to form a joint women’s hockey team with North Korea to compete at the PyeongChang Olympics.

“North Korea will soon respond to us,” said Cho Myoung-gyon, South Korea’s Unification Minister. “It is likely that the working groups of both countries will hold talks next week.”