Inter-Korean team

[Anchor Lead]

A joint inter-Korean team is preparing hard for the 2019 World Men's Handball Championship opening in Germany next week. South and North Korean ambassadors to Germany visited the athletes for encouraging words and called for a display of united Korean power.

[Pkg]

A joint inter-Korean men's handball team has been hard at practice since they arrived in Germany on December 22nd. The ambassadors of the two Koreas stationed in Germany have visited the athletes. The two envoys reminded the joint team of dramatically improved inter-Korean relations since last year and urged the players to showcase the united power of Korea.

[Soundbite] Pak Nam-yong(N. Korean Ambassador to Germany) : "If the two Koreas join hands, we can showcase to the world the advancement in sports technology and power of the Korean people."

[Soundbite] Chung Beom-goo(S. Korean Ambassador to Germany) : "Koreans have a can-do spirit. We can come together and demonstrate our strength."

This is the fourth time the South and North Korean ambassadors have met. The two watched the players train from the audience seats and held conversations about a range of topics such as handball game rules, the German weather and holiday food for the New Year. They also observed the statue of Korean marathoner Sohn Kee-chung installed outside the stadium. Sohn won the gold medal in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Meanwhile an official of the single team conveyed that the South and North Korean athletes have moved past their initial awkwardness and are now closely bonded as brothers. A joint inter-Korean cheering squad is also being formed for the opening match on January 10th and other matches to follow thereafter. The unified team will play two pre-championship games with local professional league teams in an effort to further improve their performance.