North Korea makes U-turn, calls off joint Olympic event with South News

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North Korea makes U-turn, calls off joint Olympic event with South

By Daily Sports on January 30, 2018

North Korea cited biased media report as the reason why it cancelled a joint cultural performance with artists from the South Korea, according to South Korea's official news agency, Yonhap.

South Korea's unification ministry on Monday said that Pyongyang had called off an event set to take place at North Korea's Mount Kumgang on February 4 as part of a series of events in the lead up to the Pyeong Chang Winter Olympics.

Seoul called the "unilateral" move "very regrettable".

South Korean media had expressed concern that the joint events could be in violation of UN Security Council sanctions in place against Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons programme, Yonhap reported.

Pyongyang reportedly also took issue with South Korean reports regarding an "internal event", an apparent reference to a military parade possibly taking place on February 8 to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean People's Army, Yonhap said.

On Friday, unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon called the potential parade, scheduled one day before the start of the Olympics, "intimidating".

"Kim Jong-un apparently wants to show his absolute power," Yonhap quoted Cho as saying.

The Olympic Games will run from February 9 to 25 in Pyeongchang, a city just 80km from the border between the two Koreas.

According to Yonhap, North Korea is set to host a group of skiers from its southern neighbour for a joint training session from Wednesday. The agency said it is currently unclear whether this and other scheduled events will be held. (Al Jazeera)

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 30, 2018