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North Korea blames South for lack of progress on joint Olympic team

The two countries hoped to compete together in the 2008 Olympics.

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has blamed South Korea for a lack of progress in forming a single team for the 2008 Olympics, urging the South to accept its demand of equal representation on the proposed squad, the North’s state media reported Thursday.

The two Koreas have made little headway on the proposed unified team since their agreement discuss the plan in 2005, mainly due differences on how to compose the team. South Korea has insisted athletes be selected based on performance, while the North demands equal representation.

The two sides last met in February, without setting a new date for further talks.
On Thursday, a spokesman for the North’s Olympic committee said South Korea’s “irrational stubbornness” was holding up the discussions and that the South “has no will to form a unified team.”

“The talks, which were in the final stage of conclusion thanks to our compromise and sincerity, failed to bear fruit,” the unnamed spokesman was quoted as saying by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency.

The North’s proposal of equal representation “was a reasonable and realistic measure that will achieve reconciliation and co-operation” between the divided Koreas, the spokesman said.

Maybe the sticking point in the negotiations was the DPRK women’s soccer team’s inability to kick.

Either that or Kim Jong-Il want Michelle Wie to close the deal by coming to Pyongyang. Do it Michelle, As a Korean Olympic spokeswoman you can bring world peace and give golf lessons to Kim at the same time.

No scratch that, Kim can give Michelle lessons.(Sarcastic laughter time) ‘The Great Leader’ shot 38 under par once and made five holes-in-one!

Hat tip- DPRK Studies

 
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