North and South Korean athletes will compete together in the sports of dragon boat racing, women's basketball and lightweight rowing at the continental-wide event, which begins in Indonesia on Saturday (August 18).

They are also expected to march jointly at the Opening Ceremony. 

A "One Korea Cheering Squad" was announced during a special ceremony at Conference House Dalgaebi in Seoul’s Jung district.

"The competitions by the unified inter-Korean team are more than just sports, but a process of moving toward reconciliation and reunification," said Kim Su-jeong, a 20-year-old Korea Aerospace University student selected for the cheerleading squad, according to Hani.co.kr.

"One Korea's joint cheering is also a process of interchange, cooperation, and solidarity among the athletes, overseas Koreans, and South and North Koreans."

Forty cheerleaders and 100 members will feature in the team.

They are due to be present from Friday (August 17) until Monday (August 20). 

They will be joining more than 300 locally assembled overseas Korean cheerleaders to root for the unified women's basketball team in their opening matches.

A second "focused cheering squad" will arrive later in the month in time for the Closing Ceremony on September 2.

A North Korea cheerleading team caused a sensation by their vocal and eyecatching performances at the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang.

A unified women's ice hockey team featured there, while the two countries, which are still technically at war, also marched side-by-side in the Opening Ceremony.