N. Korea & the Olympics

[Anchor Lead]

The inter-Korean talks will take place on the South Korean side of the border as last-minute preparations set the stage. Meanwhile, North Korean representative of the International Olympic Committee Chang Ung is scheduled to meet with IOC President Thomas Bach in Lausanne, Switzerland.

[Pkg]

With delegations from both South and North Korea now formed, Seoul is stepping up its efforts to wrap up last-minute preparations for tomorrow's meeting. Since the two sides have agreed on key agendas, such as the date, venue, and members of the delegations, the remaining details will be discussed through the Panmunjeom communication channel today. A source inside the South Korean Unification Ministry says the preparations for the inter-Korean meeting are almost complete. The meeting venue is located in the South Korean side of Panmunjeom, making it easy for South Korea to arrange relevant matters. Following precedence, the South Korean delegation headed by Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon is likely to set off from the Special Office for inter-Korean Dialogue in Samcheong-dong, Seoul. North Korea is also moving quickly as its participation in the upcoming Winter Olympics in PyeongChang is certain to be a major agenda. North Korean representative for the International Olympic Committee Chang Ung, who flew to Beijing on January 6th, is expected to head to Lausanne, Switzerland to meet with IOC President Thomas Bach today at the earliest. Chang will reportedly stay in Lausanne for about a week, until January 15th, which suggests that he will be discuss ways to send athletes in events other than pair skating, which North Korea had qualified for, and will also talk about how to subsidize the cost.