Koreas looking to form joint table tennis team at Asian Para Games

ICHEON, South Korea, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) -- South and North Korea are looking to form a joint table tennis team at the Asian Para Games next month, Seoul's table tennis coach said Wednesday.

"Although it's not confirmed, we're planning to have a joint Korean team in table tennis," said South Korea's para table tennis team head coach Moon Chang-joo. "If we solve realistic problems, we'll be able to compete as one team in the doubles or team events under the unified Korean flag."

The two Koreas have yet to compete together in a multisport event for the disabled. The two sides previously planned to have a joint parade at the opening ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games but couldn't reach the agreement.

South and North Korea had joint teams in women's basketball, rowing and canoeing at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia. The two sent a joint women's ice hockey team at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

According to Moon, the two sides discussed the issue during their joint training session in Beijing earlier this month. To boost disabled sports exchanges, the table tennis players from the South and the North trained together in Beijing from Sept. 3 to 6.

"North Korea will send table tennis players Kim Yong-rok and Pak Kum-jin to the Asian Para Games in Indonesia," Moon said. "If we form a joint team, the two players will play together with our players."

However, the two North Korean players first must be classified based on their physical abilities. Kim has no arms, while Pak has poliomyelitis. If they get a different disabled class from South Koreans, forming a joint team may be difficult.

South Korea's Kim Young-gun, who trained together with North Koreans in Beijing, said he has big expectations of playing with North Korean athletes.

"They were just like us," he said. "They were determined to give their best, so I think we can create synergy."

Meanwhile, Korea Paralympic Committee said it is also planning to have joint teams in other sports at the 3rd Asian Para Games in Jakarta that will be held from Oct. 8 to 16.

kdon@yna.co.kr
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