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By Nam Hyun-woo
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Kim Yoon-suk, secretary general of the Gwangju Summer Universiade Organizing Committee (GUOC), told reporters in a hastily organized news conference that the e-mail saying the reclusive regime will not send its delegation to Gwangju arrived in one of the organizers' accounts at 6:31 p.m. Friday.
Kim said that the e-mail sent from the head of the North's university sports federation, listed the International University Sports Federation (FISU) as recipient, but the FISU has yet to receive the same e-mail, adding that the organizers and the Ministry of Unification are working to confirm the correspondence's authenticity. He said GUOC has yet to confirm that the North will not participate.
In the e-mail, the North said that it will not attend the Gwangnju Universiade because of the planned opening of a U.N. Human Rights office in Seoul this week.
GUOC President Yoon Jang-hyun said, "The organizers regret the North's suggestion in the e-mail and will await the North's participation in the event until the last possible moment."
On March 3, the reclusive regime submitted its official application to the FISU and reported that it would send a 108-member delegation to Gwangju and 75 athletes would compete in athletics, diving, artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, table tennis, judo, women's football and handball.
However, it did not register its entry, missing the official June 3 deadline, as well as June 15 deadline for additional entries.
If North Korea withdraws, the organizers will have to re-draw for team events in which the North was expected to participate. At the team events draw session in April, the North's women's football team was paired with Brazil, China and Poland in Group C, while its women's handball team was grouped with Brazil, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
North Korea's boycott will likely come as another blow for the organizers, who have long considered the North's involvement in the Universiade as a huge boost. In April, Kim said there were "no more talks about a unified team," ending mushrooming speculation about the issue.
North Korea has boycotted several international sporting events in South Korea, including the 1986 Seoul Asian Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympics. However, it has since sent its delegations to several other events in the South, including last year's Asiad in Incheon.
