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| North Korea: South proposes Olympics delegation talks | North Korea: South proposes Olympics delegation talks |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| South Korea has offered high-level talks with North Korea next Tuesday to discuss its possible participation in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. | South Korea has offered high-level talks with North Korea next Tuesday to discuss its possible participation in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. |
| The North's leader, Kim Jong-un, said earlier he was considering sending a team to Pyeongchang in South Korea for the Games in February. | The North's leader, Kim Jong-un, said earlier he was considering sending a team to Pyeongchang in South Korea for the Games in February. |
| He said the two sides should "urgently meet to discuss the possibility". | He said the two sides should "urgently meet to discuss the possibility". |
| South Korea's president said he saw the offer as a "groundbreaking chance" to improve relations. | South Korea's president said he saw the offer as a "groundbreaking chance" to improve relations. |
| At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Moon Jae-in also said the North's nuclear programme would be the backdrop of any sporting discussions. | At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Moon Jae-in also said the North's nuclear programme would be the backdrop of any sporting discussions. |
| US President Donald Trump said sanctions "and other pressures" were beginning to have an impact on North Korea. | |
| Referring to the possible North-South dialogue he tweeted: "Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see." | |
| Where might the Koreas meet? | |
| South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon proposed a meeting at Panmunjom, the so-called "truce village". | South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon proposed a meeting at Panmunjom, the so-called "truce village". |
| The village, in the heavily guarded demilitarised zone (DMZ) at the border, is where the Koreas have historically held talks. | The village, in the heavily guarded demilitarised zone (DMZ) at the border, is where the Koreas have historically held talks. |
| It is not yet known who, if anyone, will attend the proposed talks as North Korea has yet to respond. | It is not yet known who, if anyone, will attend the proposed talks as North Korea has yet to respond. |
| President Moon said he wanted his ministers to act fast to ensure the North's delegation attended. | President Moon said he wanted his ministers to act fast to ensure the North's delegation attended. |
| If the two countries do meet, Hyung Eun Kim from the BBC's Korean service says, they are expected to talk logistics: | If the two countries do meet, Hyung Eun Kim from the BBC's Korean service says, they are expected to talk logistics: |
| When did they last meet? | When did they last meet? |
| The last high-level talks, in December 2015 in the Kaesong joint industrial zone, ended without any agreement and the agenda was not made public. | The last high-level talks, in December 2015 in the Kaesong joint industrial zone, ended without any agreement and the agenda was not made public. |
| In July 2017, South Korea proposed two bilateral meetings: one focusing on military talks and another that would reunite families separated by the war. | In July 2017, South Korea proposed two bilateral meetings: one focusing on military talks and another that would reunite families separated by the war. |
| Neither happened and instead the North continued to fire test missiles. | Neither happened and instead the North continued to fire test missiles. |
| What has Kim Jong-un said this time? | What has Kim Jong-un said this time? |
| North Korea's leader took many people by surprise when he said he was "open to dialogue" with his neighbours in his New Year's Day speech. | North Korea's leader took many people by surprise when he said he was "open to dialogue" with his neighbours in his New Year's Day speech. |
| At the same time, he repeated threats against the US, saying a nuclear launch button was always on his table. | At the same time, he repeated threats against the US, saying a nuclear launch button was always on his table. |
| North Korea has in the past two years quickly advanced its nuclear and convention weapons programmes, despite increasing international sanctions. | North Korea has in the past two years quickly advanced its nuclear and convention weapons programmes, despite increasing international sanctions. |
| Analysis: The crisis is far from over | Analysis: The crisis is far from over |
| By Jonathan Marcus, BBC defence and diplomatic correspondent | By Jonathan Marcus, BBC defence and diplomatic correspondent |
| A step back from the brink of potential war, or an effort to open a rift in the already bumpy relationship between South Korea and the United States? Kim Jong-un's sudden willingness to talk could be both these things. | A step back from the brink of potential war, or an effort to open a rift in the already bumpy relationship between South Korea and the United States? Kim Jong-un's sudden willingness to talk could be both these things. |
| It raises intriguing possibilities in the wake of a year where the drift has been entirely negative: | It raises intriguing possibilities in the wake of a year where the drift has been entirely negative: |
| South Korea's President Moon has responded positively, eager to bolster his own diplomatic hand. But given that the North sees its nuclear programme as a permanent fixture and President Donald Trump insists that Pyongyang will not be allowed to have a credible means of striking US territory, it is hard to see this crisis abating any time soon. | South Korea's President Moon has responded positively, eager to bolster his own diplomatic hand. But given that the North sees its nuclear programme as a permanent fixture and President Donald Trump insists that Pyongyang will not be allowed to have a credible means of striking US territory, it is hard to see this crisis abating any time soon. |
| Who might go to the Games? | Who might go to the Games? |
| The only two North Korean athletes who qualified for the Games are figure skaters Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik. | The only two North Korean athletes who qualified for the Games are figure skaters Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik. |
| Although the North has missed the official deadline to confirm their participation, the skaters could still compete via an invitation from the International Olympic Committee. | Although the North has missed the official deadline to confirm their participation, the skaters could still compete via an invitation from the International Olympic Committee. |
| The president of the Pyeongchang Games' organising committee, Lee Hee-beom, told South Korea's news agency Yonhap that the North's potential participation was "like a New Year's gift". | The president of the Pyeongchang Games' organising committee, Lee Hee-beom, told South Korea's news agency Yonhap that the North's potential participation was "like a New Year's gift". |
| North Korea has participated in the Olympics before, but not in South Korea. It boycotted the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. | North Korea has participated in the Olympics before, but not in South Korea. It boycotted the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. |
| Ahead of those games, Korean Air Flight 858 exploded over the Andaman Sea, killing more than 100 people. A North Korean spy later said Pyongyang had ordered her to plant it to disrupt the event preparations. | Ahead of those games, Korean Air Flight 858 exploded over the Andaman Sea, killing more than 100 people. A North Korean spy later said Pyongyang had ordered her to plant it to disrupt the event preparations. |
| Where are this year's Winter Games? | Where are this year's Winter Games? |
| Pyeongchang, approximately 180km (110 miles) east of Seoul, will host both the Winter Olympics in February and the Winter Paralympics in March. | Pyeongchang, approximately 180km (110 miles) east of Seoul, will host both the Winter Olympics in February and the Winter Paralympics in March. |
| In its international marketing, South Korea is spelling the city with an upper-case letter in the middle - PyeongChang - in a bid to differentiate it from the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. | In its international marketing, South Korea is spelling the city with an upper-case letter in the middle - PyeongChang - in a bid to differentiate it from the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. |
| In 2014, Daniel Olomae Ole Sapit, a member of the Maasai tribe in Kenya, bought a ticket to North Korea by mistake when trying to attend a UN conference in Pyeongchang. | In 2014, Daniel Olomae Ole Sapit, a member of the Maasai tribe in Kenya, bought a ticket to North Korea by mistake when trying to attend a UN conference in Pyeongchang. |
| He was interrogated on arrival and fined $500 (£370; 415 euros). | He was interrogated on arrival and fined $500 (£370; 415 euros). |