North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has reportedly met with IOC president Thomas Bach in Pyongyang for talks on the nation’s future participation in the upcoming games.
According to the AFP news agency, Thomas Bach said at Beijing airport upon his return, he wanted to ensure IOC’s cooperation with the DPRK on its participation in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
"They announced to us that they will definitely participate in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 as well at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022," Thomas Bach was quoted as saying by AFP.
Kim Jong-un reportedly thanked Tomas Bach for walking the extra mile to have North Korean athletes attend this February’s Winter Games in South Korea.
The meeting was described as being conducted in a warm and friendly atmosphere. The state's participation in Pyeongchang games led to a burst of diplomacy that resulted in Kim’s invitation to meet with South Korean and US presidents this spring.
According to Reuters, Thomas Bach said that the IOC would "make a proposal for a potential joint march or potential other joint activities for Tokyo and then maybe also for Beijing at the appropriate time".
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This year, North Korea participated in the Olympics in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang, following a thaw in the relations between the two Asian nations.
The North Korean team united with the team of its southern neighbor, marching under the Korean Unification Flag during the opening ceremony, while also forming a single women's ice hockey team.