Representatives from the North Korea Olympic Committee, including vice-president Won Kil U, will meet with counterparts from South Korea to discus joint teams at the Asian Games ©OCA

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) have announced they will meet with representatives from both North and South Korea tomorrow to discuss possible joint participation at the 18th Asian Games starting in Jakarta and Palembang this August. 

The two Koreas have already agreed to march together under a unification flag at the Opening Ceremony on August 18, so discussions will now focus on the possibility of joint Korean teams in some sports at the Games due to last until September 2. 

It is the latest development in a series of stories involving the Koreas, sport and the easing of tensions. 

The North and South both marched under a unification flag at Pyeongchang 2018 and a joint women's ice hockey team was formed, marking the first time in history that two countries have competed together at an Olympic Games. 

In May, North Korea and South Korea refused to play each other when they were both drawn in the same quarter-final at the International Table Tennis Federtion World Championships, instead forming a joint team for the semi-final, which they lost to Japan.

Then last Friday (June 22) both Koreas took part in a friendly table tennis tournament in Lausanne to celebrate Olympic Day. 

The meeting tomorrow follows discussions between the President of the OCA, Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, with the two Korean National Olympic Committees (NOC's) in Lausanne last Saturday (June 23).  

North and South Korean athletes have marched together under a unified flag 10 times before, most recently at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics earlier this year ©Getty Images
North and South Korean athletes have marched together under a unified flag 10 times before, most recently at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics earlier this year ©Getty Images

The OCA's director of international and NOC relations Vinod Kumar Tiwari will be the OCA's representative at tomorrow's meeting. 

"It is very exciting times on the Korean Peninsula and sport is playing a major role in bringing the two Koreas together in an environment of peace and understanding," Tiwari said. 

"We hope that this cooperation will grow stronger in the build-up to the 18th Asian Games and lead to a truly memorable and historic event.

"The South Koreans have an idea of how many sports could feature a joint team, and we need to discuss this with North Korea.

"The discussions will be a four-way process, also including the Asian Games Organising Committee, and we hope to decide everything on Thursday because there is not a lot of time left."

The OCA have already warned there will not be extra places allowed for more athletes from North and South Korea. 

The delegation from the Korea Sport & Olympic Committee from Seoul is due to feature Jeon Choong Ryul, their secretary general, and Park Chul Keun the director general.

The North Korea Olympic Committee will be represented by a delegation led by vice-president Won Kil U and executive secretary O Chol Min.