Thomas Bach says Kim Jong-un fully supports North Korea’s continuing role following Pyeongchang Winter Games
The International Olympic Committee president, Thomas Bach, says Kim Jong-un is committed to having North Korea participate in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Bach said he had a 30-minute formal meeting with the North Korean leader followed by 45 minutes of casual discussions while watching a football match on Friday at Pyongyang’s May Day Stadium.
He said Kim expressed his appreciation for the IOC’s role in helping North Korea compete at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea last month.
“We had a very fruitful meeting where it became clear that the supreme leader has a clear vision of the role that sport can play in a society with regard to education, with regard to health,” Bach said.
He added that Kim told him the North’s participation at Pyeongchang and marching together with South Korean athletes were an “important contribution to a peaceful dialogue”.
