International Olympic Comittee President Thomas Bach says he "welcomed" an invitation to visit North Korea after the Winter Olympics. Bach's invite comes after the South Korean president was also invited to the North.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/TASS/V. Sharifulin
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The International Olympics Committee (IOC) on Monday announced that IOC President Thomas Bach would visit North Korea following the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams said North Korea invited Bach during a meeting between the IOC and the two Koreas on January 20.
"All the parties concerned have welcomed this invitation to North Korea," Bach said. "We are talking about this convenient date in order to continue the dialogue on the sports side. We will see when this is going to happen," he added.
The Games in South Korea are due to finish on February 25. North Korea decided to join the games in Pyeongchang following encouragement from the South and the IOC for the North to participate as a gesture of peace.
The opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang
The 2018 Olympics have officially begun with the opening ceremonies in the South Korean region of Pyeongchang. The Russians entered as "Olympic Athletes," South and North Korea as one — and the Tongan was topless again.
Image: Reuters/P. Kopczynski
Fireworks on a frigid evening
The opening ceremony for the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang was held at the Olympic Stadium, starting with fireworks on a frigid evening in South Korea. While the weather was often too warm in the previous games in Vancouver and Sochi, that should not be a problem this time around.
Image: Reuters/P. Kopczynski
Cultural program
As is the case with all Olympic hosts, South Korea took the opportunity presented by the opening ceremony to present something of its culture and traditions to the world.
Image: Reuters/T. Melville
Greeks enter first
As is the tradition at both the Winter and Summer Olympic Games, Greece, the ancient home of the Olympics, are the first contingent to enter the stadium for the opening ceremony. Alpine skier Sophia Ralli led what is a realtively small Greek continent into the stadium in Pyeongchang.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/P. D. Josek
The VIP stand
The dignitaries watched the opening ceremony from their own VIP stand. Bottom left is German International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, to his right, South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Germany is represented by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (top right).
Image: picture alliance/dpa/M. Kappeler
Historic handshake
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was witness to a little bit of history as Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shook the hand of South Korean President Moon Jae.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/PA Wire/M. Egerton
Frenzel carries the flag
Germany were led into the Olympic stadium by nordic-combined gold medalist from Sochi four years ago, Eric Frenzel. Germany's flagbearer was chosen in part by a popular vote on the internet, as he beat four other nominees.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Kappeler
African representation
Ghana has sent an athlete to the Winter Olympic Games for just the second time. Akwasi Frimpong, who will be competing in the Skeleton, carried the flag into the Olympic Stadium. Downhill skier Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong had previously represented Ghana at the 2010 Vancouver Games. There are also several other Africans competing at the Games, including from South Africa, Nigeria and Eritrea.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/M. Sohn
Olympic Athletes from Russia
The International Olympic Committee has banned Russia from these Winter Games over its alleged state-sponsored doping program. However, 169 carefully screened athletes have been invited to compete under a neutral flag. The "Olympic Athletes from Russia" followed the Olympic flag into the stadium.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/N. Pisarenko
Pita Taufatofua
Tongan cross-country skier Pita Taufatofua stole the show when he entered the stadium bare-chested, despite sub-zero temperatures. The 34-year-old had caused a stir at the 2016 Rio Games when he oiled himself up and went topless as Tonga's flag-bearer. Taufatofua, who competed in taekwondo in Rio, had originally planned to keep his shirt on in the freezing cold — but obviously changed his mind...
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/AFP/F. Fife
United under one flag
In a gesture of peace, the host South Koreans entered the stadium together with their neighbors from North Korea. The athletes from the bitter rivals marched into the venue under a unified Korean flag.
Image: Getty Images/M. Meyer
Thank you Korea!
IOC President Thomas Bach used his short address to thank the Koreans for entering as a united team. He also called on the around 3,000 athletes to "inspire us all to live together in peace and harmony despite all the differences we have." Then he gave way to South Korean President Moon, who declared the Winter Games open.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/P.D.Josek
Olympic Flame lit
There was a time when an athlete could simply walk up to the cauldron with a torch and light the Olympic Flame. Now, though, no self-respecting host would allow the Flame to be lit in such a mundane manner. South Korean figure skater Kim Yuna, who won gold in Vancouver and silver in Sochi, lit the fuse, setting off a tower of fire that shot up to the Olympic cauldron — lighting the Olympic Flame.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo/F. Fife
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Hopes to ease tensions
The 2018 Winter Olympics was the first time in 12 years that the two Koreas had marched together at the opening ceremony, and the unified women's ice hockey team was the first time ever that an inter-Korean team had competed at an Olympic Games.
On Saturday, Kim Jong Un's sister Yo Jong invited South Korean President Moon Jae-in for talks in Pyongyang, South Korean officials said. The meeting would be the first meeting of Korean leaders in more than a decade.
Tensions with North Korea has been increasing in recent months, especially after Pyongyang last year tested rockets capable of reaching the US mainland and detonated its most powerful nuclear device to date.
Moon has been using the Games to pave the way for talks over the North's weapons program.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Sunday said it is not yet clear whether the Olympics would be enough to ease tensions between the North and South.
"It is too early to say if ... using the Olympics in a way to reduce tensions, if that is going to have any traction once the Olympics are over, we can't say right now," Mattis said.
