The Korea Herald

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NK's delegation to Paralympics to come to S. Korea Wed. morning

By Yonhap

Published : March 6, 2018 - 13:18

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South Korea's unification ministry said Tuesday that North Korea's 24-member delegation to the PyeongChang Winter Paralympics will come to the South the following morning.

The North's 20-member athletic delegation and four-member team of National Paralympic Committee officials are expected to cross the border Wednesday morning, according to Seoul's unification ministry.

(Yonhap) (Yonhap)

"Among them, eight North Koreans have a disability -- six athletes, one NPC member and a sign language interpreter," an official at Seoul's unification ministry said.

Jong Hyon, a vice chairman of the central committee of the Korean Federation for the Protection of the Disabled, will lead the athletic delegation with six athletes. Kim Mun-chol, chairman of the KFPD, will represent the four-member NPC delegation.

The International Paralympic Committee has invited North Korea to the Paralympic Games and offered two bipartite slots to athletes to compete in Para Nordic skiing events. Sit-skiers Kim Jong-hyon and Ma Yu-chol were given the spots.

The March 9-18 Paralympics will be the first Winter Paralympic Games at which North Korea has participated.(Yonhap)