NK confirms inter-Korean table tennis team for world championship

North Korea has confirmed its participation with the South in joint team for the upcoming 46th World Table Tennis Championships. North Korea made the confirmation in an official document sent recently to the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), according to Han Sang-Kook, vice chairman of the Korean Table Tennis Association. Han is now attending the ITTF`s executive meeting in Zagreb, Croatia.

Han said in a report that North Korea asked in the document, sent under the name of its table tennis association`s secretary general Chae La-U, that the ITTF allow a single Korean delegation of about 50 members for the championships, including six players each from South and North Korea. Han made the report to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In the letter, the North also said that the name of the unified Korean team, the team flag and team song would be decided according to an agreement the two Koreas made ahead of the 1991 Chiba World Table Tennis Championships.

Zang Hwan-Soo zangpabo@donga.com