ROK mulls joint Olympic march with DPRK

The Republic of Korea (ROK) plans to propose to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) that the divided nations march together at the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics, an official said yesterday.

Athletes from the two Koreas have marched together in the same uniform under the blue and white "unification flag" at several major international sports events including the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, and have used the traditional song Arirang in place of individual anthems in a show of their reconciliation efforts.

But the prospect of a joint march at next month's Beijing Games has dimmed, as reconciliation talks have been suspended since ROK's conservative new president Lee Myung-bak assumed office in February with a harder-line stance on Pyongyang.