The head of the South Korean athletic delegation in Guangzhou for the 16th Asian Games said Wednesday he will contact the North Korean team to set up a meeting of yet-to-be-determined nature.
Speaking to reporters after the flag raising ceremony for South Korea at the athletes' village, Lee Kee-heung said he had not yet gotten in touch with his North Korean counterparts but planned to do so soon.
"I plan to make contact with North Korean officials so that we would have a chance to meet," Lee said.
He didn't elaborate what such a meeting would be about, but he lamented that the divided Koreas haven't made earlier arrangements for a joint march.
"It's a shame, but after the Cheonan incident, the inter-Korean relations have been strained," Lee said, in reference to the deadly sinking of a South Korean warship that claimed 46 lives in March. A Seoul-led multinational probe pointed to North Korea as the culprit, but Pyongyang has repeatedly denied any responsibility.
"It's a complicated situation, and we'll have to see what happens," Lee said. "(A joint march) is something we want to see, but the two sides haven't had a chance to talk after the Cheonan."
The Asiad's opening ceremony is slated for Friday.