PHOTOS Who carries 'unification' flag at opening ceremony?
The combined Koreas march into Gelora Bung Karno Stadium under the "unification" flag during the opening ceremony for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018. / AP
The combined Koreas march into Gelora Bung Karno Stadium during the opening ceremony for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018. / AP
South Korean women's basketball player Lim Yung-hui partnered with North Korean footballer Ju Kyong-chol to carry one flag together at the opening ceremony of the 18th Asian Games in Indonesia on Saturday.
The South and North Korean athletes marched together under the Korean Unification Flag, an image of the Korean Peninsula in blue against a white background, at the opening ceremony for the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.
With thousands of spectators watching, including South Korean Prime Minster Lee Nak-yon, Lim and Ju carried the flag together as they led the march at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) main stadium in Jakarta.
The South and North Korean athletes marched together under the song "Arirang," considered the most well-known folk song on the Korean Peninsula. They were the 15th team to enter the stadium.
This was the 11th time that the two Koreas marched together at the opening ceremony of an international sports competition. The last time that the Korean athletes had a joint parade was at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Supporters of the combined Koreas team attend prior the opening ceremony for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018. / AP
Supporters of the combined Koreas team attend prior the opening ceremony for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018. / AP
By custom, the South and the North mix gender when it comes to selecting flagbearers for the joint parade. For the 18th Asian Games, it was South Korea's to send a female athlete, while it was North Korea's turn to choose a man.
At the 2018 Winter Games, South Korea's male bobsledder Won Yun-jong was the co-flagbearer with North Korean female ice hockey player Hwang Chung-gum.
Lim, 38, is the captain of the unified Korean women's basketball team. She is also the oldest player on the team.
Ju, 20, is a midfielder for the North Korean men's football team. He is listed at 184 centimeters, six centimeters taller than Lim.
The South and North are competing as a joint team in three sports at this year's Asiad: women's basketball, dragon boat racing in canoeing and rowing. (Yonhap)