North and South Korea marched together at the Opening Ceremony of the 2004 Olympics in Athens ©Getty Images

Pyeongchang 2018 will be remembered as the "Peace Olympics" if North Korea participate, it has been claimed by the President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC). 

Lee Kee-heung warned, though, it would need cooperation at the highest level if a unified Korean team was to take part in the Winter Olympics. 

South Korean President Moon Jae-in is hoping to use Pyeongchang 2018 as an opportunity to improve relations between his country and North Korea. 

Staging some events in North Korea and competing as a unified team in some disciplines, such as women's ice hockey, are among the ideas proposed. 

"Sports exchanges and a unified team are not things that we can do on our own," Lee told South Korean news agency Yonhap News.

The matter is expected to be discussed by the the ruling at Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at its meeting here today and tomorrow. 

Many of the ideas have been dismissed as impractical but the IOC may encourage the Winter International Sports Federations to offer North Korean athletes wild-cards so they can compete at Pyeongchang 2018. 

North Korea's successful launch of a ICBM last week has led to a deterioration in relations between them and South Korea but there are hopes Pyeongchang 2018 could help repair relations ©Getty Images
North Korea's successful launch of a ICBM last week has led to a deterioration in relations between them and South Korea but there are hopes Pyeongchang 2018 could help repair relations ©Getty Images

Relations between South and North Korea are at a delicate point following the launch last week by Pyongyang of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

"Considering the current situation, we don't know how many foreigners will visit Pyeongchang next year," Lee said. 

"But if North Korea joins the Pyeongchang Olympics, it meets the idea of 'Peace Olympics', so many people will visit South Korea."

North and South Korea symbolically marched together at the Opening Ceremonies of Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 but competed separately.

North Korea boycotted Seoul 1988.

They have, though, participated at other more recent events held on South Korean soil, including at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. 

North Korea competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver but missed Sochi 2014 ©Getty Images
North Korea competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver but missed Sochi 2014 ©Getty Images

North Korea made its debut in the Winter Olympics at Innsbruck in 1964, winning a silver medal in the women's 3,000 metres speed skating thanks to Han Pil-Hwa. 

They missed the next Winter Olympics at Grenoble 1968 but competed at Sapporo in Japan in 1972.

North Korea then were absent at Innsbruck 1976 and Lake Placid 1980.

They competed at Sarajevo 1984, Calgary 1988 and Albertville 1992, winning their second medal, a bronze for Hwang Ok-Sil in the women's 500m short track speed skating. 

Since then, North Korea have competed at Nagano 1998, Turin 2006 and Vancouver 2010 but missed Lillehammer 1994 and Sochi 2014.