SEOUL (AFP) - North and South Korea will bid jointly for the 2032 Olympics, they announced on Wednesday (Sept 19), in an ambitious plan built on hopes of deepening a diplomatic thaw catalysed by this year's Winter Games in the South.

The idea, which would require an unprecedented level of cooperation and mutual trust on the long-divided Korean peninsula, was included in a joint statement issued after a Pyongyang summit between the North's leader Kim Jong Un and the South's President Moon Jae-in.

"The South and North agreed to actively participate jointly in international competitions including the 2020 Summer Olympics and to cooperate in bidding for the South-North joint hosting of the 2032 Summer Olympics," the statement said.

No other details were given.

The North's decision to participate in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in February triggered a dramatic diplomatic turnaround on the peninsula this year.

It came after tensions mounted the previous year, with the North carrying out multiple missile launches and its most powerful nuclear test to date, and Mr Kim trading personal insults and threats of war with US President Donald Trump.

The February games saw athletes from the two Koreas march together at the opening ceremony behind a unification flag showing an undivided peninsula.

The two countries also formed a unified women's ice hockey side - a move initially controversial in the South, with critics saying that Seoul was depriving its own citizens of a chance to play on the Olympic stage.

Mr Kim sent his sister, Ms Kim Yo Jong, to Pyeongchang as his personal envoy, and the two leaders have since met three times as part of an ongoing diplomatic rapprochement.

The two Koreas have continued their sports diplomacy, forming joint teams for the ITTF world table tennis championships and several events at the Asian Games in Indonesia, securing one gold, one silver and two bronze medals.

They have also held friendly basketball matches.

Olympics chief Thomas Bach said this month he was open to talks with the two Koreas about marching and competing together at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

It is a marked contrast to the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics, which Pyongyang boycotted after it demanded co-hosting rights and negotiations fell apart over how to share the events.

North Korea's participation in hosting the Games, which includes thousands of athletes from around the world and an even larger number of spectators, would be a watershed event requiring a degree of openness and financial muscle now lacking in the isolated and impoverished country.

It would also force an extraordinary level of cooperation between two Cold War foes that have no formal avenues for regular contact and are still technically at war.

The first hint of a possible joint bid came last week when South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted the country's sports minister Do Jong-hwan as saying Seoul planned to propose the idea during this week's Pyongyang meeting.

For the 2030 Fifa World Cup, Mr Do said South Korea planned to propose a co-hosted tournament involving China, Japan and the two Koreas.

"In this way, we could maintain the current momentum for peace and expand peace on the Korean peninsula to the whole region," Mr Do said.</s>Moon and Kim announced a sweeping set of agreements including a vow to work together to host the Summer Olympics in 2032.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shakes hands after signing the documents at the Paekhwawon State Guesthouse in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a statement Wednesday that the countries planned to jointly bid for the 2032 Summer Olympics.

At a major summit, the two leaders gave no details of which cities might host certain events at the games, or how advanced the plans were.

The International Olympic Committee traditionally does not announce host cities until seven years ahead of the games. That would give the Koreas until 2025 to put together a joint bid.

Germany, with a multi-city bid, Brisbane, Australia and Jakarta, Indonesia are among those who have indicated they would bid for the 2032 Games. The India Olympic Committee has also said it could bid for 2032, as has South Africa’s Olympic committee in an attempt to bring the Olympics to Africa for the first time.

A successful bid by the Koreas would mark the second time South Korea hosted or co-hosted the Summer Games, the first being 1988 in Seoul. South Korea also hosted the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in February.

Related: Kim agrees to dismantle main nuke site if US takes steps too

Asia features in the next two Olympics — the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, which also hosted the summer version in 2008.

The joint statement Wednesday also said the Koreas would look to co-operate in major sports events such as the 2020 Games, also without elaborating.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.</s>PYONGYANG, North Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a statement Wednesday that the countries planned to jointly bid for the 2032 Summer Olympics.

At a major summit, the two leaders gave no details of which cities might host certain events at the games, or how advanced the plans were.

The International Olympic Committee traditionally does not announce host cities until seven years ahead of the games. That would give the Koreas until 2025 to put together a joint bid.

Germany has already announced plans for a multi-city bid for 2032, as has Brisbane, Australia. The India Olympic Committee has also indicated its interest in hosting the 2032 Games.

A successful bid by the Koreas would mark the second time South Korea hosted or co-hosted the Summer Games, the first being 1988 in Seoul. South Korea also hosted the Pyeongchang Winter Games in February.

Asia also features in the next two Olympics — the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, which also hosted the summer version in 2008.</s>Moon and Kim announced a sweeping set of agreements including a vow to work together to host the Summer Olympics in 2032.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shakes hands after signing the documents at the Paekhwawon State Guesthouse in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a statement Wednesday that the countries planned to jointly bid for the 2032 Summer Olympics.

At a major summit, the two leaders gave no details of which cities might host certain events at the games, or how advanced the plans were.

The International Olympic Committee traditionally does not announce host cities until seven years ahead of the games. That would give the Koreas until 2025 to put together a joint bid.

Germany, with a multi-city bid, Brisbane, Australia and Jakarta, Indonesia are among those who have indicated they would bid for the 2032 Games. The India Olympic Committee has also said it could bid for 2032, as has South Africa’s Olympic committee in an attempt to bring the Olympics to Africa for the first time.

A successful bid by the Koreas would mark the second time South Korea hosted or co-hosted the Summer Games, the first being 1988 in Seoul. South Korea also hosted the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in February.

Related: Kim agrees to dismantle main nuke site if US takes steps too

Asia features in the next two Olympics — the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, which also hosted the summer version in 2008.

The joint statement Wednesday also said the Koreas would look to co-operate in major sports events such as the 2020 Games, also without elaborating.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.</s>North and South Korea have agreed to seek to jointly host the 2032 Summer Olympics.

The announcement was made at a news conference held Wednesday in Pyongyang, North Korea. That revelation was part of a much larger development toward peace on the Korean peninsula, where North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed to new steps to denuclearize.

As far as the 2032 Summer Olympics is concerned, the two Korean leaders gave no details of which cities might host events or how advanced the plans were.

If the two nations move forward with a bid for the 2032 Games, it could bring the Summer Olympics to the Korean peninsula for the first time since 1988, when Seoul was host. Of course, the 2018 Winter Olympics were hosted by South Korea in PyeongChang, where athletes from North and South Korea formed a unified Olympic team.

Tokyo (2020), Paris (2024) and Los Angeles (2028) are slated to host the next three Summer Olympics. Beijing will host the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Germany has already announced plans for a multi-city bid for 2032, as has Brisbane, Australia. The India Olympic Committee has also indicated its interest in hosting the 2032 Games.</s>PYONGYANG, Korea, Democratic People's Republic Of - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a statement Wednesday that the countries planned to jointly bid for the 2032 Summer Olympics.

At a major summit, the two leaders gave no details of which cities might host certain events at the games, or how advanced the plans were.

The International Olympic Committee traditionally does not announce host cities until seven years ahead of the games. That would give the Koreas until 2025 to put together a joint bid.

Germany has already announced plans for a multi-city bid for 2032, as has Brisbane, Australia. The India Olympic Committee has also indicated its interest in hosting the 2032 Games.

A successful bid by the Koreas would mark the second time South Korea hosted or co-hosted the Summer Games, the first being 1988 in Seoul. South Korea also hosted the Pyeongchang Winter Games in February.

Asia also features in the next two Olympics -- the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, which also hosted the summer version in 2008.</s>North and South Korea will jointly pursue a bid to host the 2032 Summer Olympics, representatives announced in a news conference Wednesday in Pyongyang, North Korea.

The bid is part of a larger move toward peace on the Korean Peninsula, with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreeing on the first steps toward denuclearization and peace. No immediate details about the Olympic bid, such as which cities would host it, were revealed.

South Korea hosted the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang, with athletes from the two countries forming a unified team. A successful 2032 bid would bring the Summer Games to the peninsula for the first time since Seoul hosted the 1988 competition.

Brisbane, Australia, plans to bid for the 2032 Games and Germany has announced plans for a multi-city bid. Tokyo will host the 2020 Games, which move to Paris in 2024 and Los Angeles in 2028. Beijing is the site of the 2022 Winter Olympics.</s>North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a statement Wednesday that the countries planned to jointly bid for the 2032 Summer Olympics.

At a major summit, the two leaders gave no details of which cities might host certain events at the games, or how advanced the plans were.

The International Olympic Committee traditionally does not announce host cities until seven years ahead of the games. That would give the Koreas until 2025 to put together a joint bid.

Germany has already announced plans for a multi-city bid for 2032, as has Brisbane, Australia. The India Olympic Committee has also indicated its interest in hosting the 2032 Games.

A successful bid by the Koreas would mark the second time South Korea hosted or co-hosted the Summer Games, the first being 1988 in Seoul. South Korea also hosted the Pyeongchang Winter Games in February.

Asia also features in the next two Olympics — the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, which also hosted the summer version in 2008.</s>North Korea's Kim agrees to dismantle main nuke site if U.S. takes steps, too

"We have agreed to make the Korean Peninsula a land of peace that is free from nuclear weapons and nuclear threat."</s>North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in a statement Wednesday that the countries planned to jointly bid for the 2032 Summer Olympics.

At a major summit, the two leaders gave no details of which cities might host certain events at the games, or how advanced the plans were.

The International Olympic Committee traditionally does not announce host cities until seven years ahead of the games. That would give the Koreas until 2025 to put together a joint bid.

Germany has already announced plans for a multi-city bid for 2032, as has Brisbane, Australia. The India Olympic Committee has also indicated its interest in hosting the 2032 Games.

A successful bid by the Koreas would mark the second time South Korea hosted or co-hosted the Summer Games, the first being 1988 in Seoul. South Korea also hosted the Winter Games in Pyeongchang in February.

Asia also features in the next two Olympics — the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, which also hosted the summer version in 2008.
North Korea says it will dismantle its Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center if the U.S. takes reciprocal measures. North and South Korea say they will seek a joint bid to host the 2032 Summer Olympics.