Panmunjom village is located in the demilitarised zone (DMZ) at the border of South Korea and North Korea. The three-storey Peace House, located just across the demilitarised zone on the South Korean side of Panmunjom truce village, is a spot where many bilateral talks and other political meetings have taken place earlier including the talks between North and South Korea held in January this year to ease the military tensions.

This village is considered one of the last frontiers where soldiers come face-to-face.

As North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in engage in a historic bilateral summit at the Peace House today, here are little-known things about this area:

<ul>
	<li>The village is a small cluster which hardly has ten huts, it also called ''truce village''.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>This&nbsp;village otherwise known as Joint Security Area (JSA) is a "no man's land"&nbsp;as it is inside the heavily mined four-km-wide demilitarized zone that served as the de-facto border between the two Koreas and the area is marked with fences and heavy security.</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>&nbsp;Panmunjom village has been a venue for inter Korean talks, it was designated as one place where officials meet and talk after the Korean war ended in a truce in 1953.</li>
</ul>

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>&nbsp;There is a building in the village which is connected to Seoul and Pyongyang for officials in both the countries to monitor and every time talks happens between countries it happens in that building.</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>The "truce village"&nbsp;is divided into two parts by a military demarcation line with one belonging to the South and the other belonging to the North and in the middle of the village there is a UN command building known as peace house crossing the middle line.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>&nbsp;Many American presidents visit this DMZ area to due to its historical significance.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>It is also a place for &nbsp;American presidents to visit during their South Korea visit since it is a symbolic demonstration of Washington's commitment to defend Seoul.</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>The village is a popular tourist destination&nbsp;and there is a list of instructions that tourist needs to follow like they can't go there wearing torn jeans, t-shirts, mini skirts or any other revealing clothes.</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>As part of the tour in the village, tourists can visit Dosan station from where people used to travel from Pyongyang to Seoul. There is also a souvenir on&nbsp;the North side where tourists can buy souvenirs and even North Korean alcohol.</li>
</ul>

This village is considered one of the last frontiers where soldiers could come face to face from both sides after the cold war

Panmunjom village is located in the demilitarised zone (DMZ) at the border of South Korea and North Korea. The three-storey Peace House, located just across the demilitarised zone on the South Korean side of Panmunjom truce village, is a spot where many bilateral talks and other political meetings have taken place earlier including the talks between North and South Korea held in January this year to ease the military tensions. This village is considered one of the last frontiers where soldiers come face-to-face. As North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in engage in a historic bilateral summit at the Peace House today, here are little-known things about this area: The village is a small cluster which hardly has ten huts, it also called ''truce village''. This village otherwise known as Joint Security Area (JSA) is a "no man's land" as it is inside the heavily mined four-km-wide demilitarized zone that served as the de-facto border between the two Koreas and the area is marked with fences and heavy security. Panmunjom village has been a venue for inter Korean talks, it was designated as one place where officials meet and talk after the Korean war ended in a truce in 1953. There is a building in the village which is connected to Seoul and Pyongyang for officials in both the countries to monitor and every time talks happens between countries it happens in that building. The "truce village" is divided into two parts by a military demarcation line with one belonging to the South and the other belonging to the North and in the middle of the village there is a UN command building known as peace house crossing the middle line. Many American presidents visit this DMZ area to due to its historical significance. It is also a place for American presidents to visit during their South Korea visit since it is a symbolic demonstration of Washington's commitment to defend Seoul. The village is a popular tourist destination and there is a list of instructions that tourist needs to follow like they can't go there wearing torn jeans, t-shirts, mini skirts or any other revealing clothes. As part of the tour in the village, tourists can visit Dosan station from where people used to travel from Pyongyang to Seoul. There is also a souvenir on the North side where tourists can buy souvenirs and even North Korean alcohol.

Korea summit: Little known facts about 'truce village' Panmunjom on DMZ

Winter Olympics is already underway, PyeongChang, South Korea is hosting the 23rd Olympic Winter Games.

It is a major international multi-sport event and&nbsp;athletes have come from all over the world to participate in the winter games.

Many athletes&nbsp;have already claimed their medals but now some&nbsp;unexpected participants have arrived to&nbsp;increase the competition.

South Korea is using the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics to show off its prowess in robotics technology.

The robots are taking part in various games like skiing etc,&nbsp;and also provide assistance to the visitors. The ministry said 11 kinds of&nbsp;robots&nbsp;are being used.

South Korea&#39;s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said 85&nbsp;robots&nbsp;would be distributed across venues providing information about sports schedules and transport, cleaning as well as improving the appearance of the Games.

The organisers of the upcoming Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic games had already warned spectators that they will face sub-zero temperatures during the tournament but these robots are not freezing.

Robot fish with segmented bodies and flashing lights course back and forth in tanks at the main press centre, an automatic vacuum-cleaning robot the size of a washing machine works its way around the same centre and a painting robot prints a whole wall of murals on Olympic stadiums in a few passes.

&nbsp;

South Korea is using the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics to show off its robotics skills and technology

Winter Olympics is already underway, PyeongChang, South Korea is hosting the 23rd Olympic Winter Games. It is a major international multi-sport event and athletes have come from all over the world to participate in the winter games. Many athletes have already claimed their medals but now some unexpected participants have arrived to increase the competition. South Korea is using the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics to show off its prowess in robotics technology. The robots are taking part in various games like skiing etc, and also provide assistance to the visitors. The ministry said 11 kinds of robots are being used. South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said 85 robots would be distributed across venues providing information about sports schedules and transport, cleaning as well as improving the appearance of the Games. The organisers of the upcoming Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic games had already warned spectators that they will face sub-zero temperatures during the tournament but these robots are not freezing. Robot fish with segmented bodies and flashing lights course back and forth in tanks at the main press centre, an automatic vacuum-cleaning robot the size of a washing machine works its way around the same centre and a painting robot prints a whole wall of murals on Olympic stadiums in a few passes.

Watch: Pyeongchang winter robots Olympics

Short track speed skating star Victor An has been excluded from the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in the aftermath of a state-sponsored doping scandal, angry Russian officials confirmed on Tuesday.

Six-time Olympic gold medallist An -- who was born in South Korea but took Russian citizenship before the 2014 Sochi Games -- was &quot;absent from the list of potential participants&quot;, vice president of the Russian Olympic Committee Stanislav Pozdnyakov said in a statement, confirming media reports from Monday.&nbsp;

Olympic champion biathlete Anton Shipulin and world champion skier Sergei Ustyugov were also absent from the list of athletes invited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the statement said.

The absent sportsmen have &quot;never been implicated in any type of doping affair and the numerous tests they have passed in their careers show that they are clean athletes&quot;, Pozdnyakov said.

&quot;Today we will send the International Olympic Committee a request for the specific reasons why the captains of Russian teams in various sports have not been included in the list of potential participants.&quot;

The ROC said it did not see this as a final decision, but An`s lawyer told media on Monday there would not be time to appeal before the Games.

In a separate statement, the Russian figure skating federation said skaters Ksenia Stolbova and Ivan Bukin had been banned from the games, in a decision the body slammed as &quot;groundless and absurd&quot;.

Stolbova along with her partner Fedor Klimov took silver in the European Championships in Moscow last week and the pair were also second at the Sochi Winter Games in 2014.&nbsp;

Bukin won bronze with his partner Alexandra Stepanova at the latest European Championships.President of the Russian Skating Union Alexei Kravtsov said he was &quot;outraged by the unjust decision&quot; to bar top athletes.&nbsp;

&quot;By acting like this, the IOC can be compared to a despot and a tyrant, trampling on laws and deciding people`s fate simply according to its whims,&quot; he said in a statement.&nbsp;

&quot;It is clear that we do not really have time to do anything before the Olympics, but we intend to continue the fight to clear the names of our athletes,&quot; he added.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he had seen the &quot;sad&quot; media reports that An, Ustyugov and Shipulin had been banned.&nbsp;

&quot;We deeply regret this, if such a decision is indeed taken,&quot; he told journalists.The IOC banned Russia from the 2018 Olympics after a report on a vast, Moscow-backed doping scheme in previous Games.&nbsp;

Russians who want to compete are being forced to pass a unique set of anti-doping tests.

Those deemed clean will be allowed to appear in Pyeongchang under a neutral flag as an &quot;Olympic Athlete from Russia&quot;.

An had earlier requested permission to compete as a neutral athlete following the IOC`s ban on Russia.

Dozens of Russian athletes banned by the IOC for life for doping began an appeal against their suspension on Monday at the world`s top sports court.

The week-long hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) includes appeals from 39 Russians who competed at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi but are now banned after multiple independent reports linked them to doping.

Last week the IOC said the pool of Russians who could potentially be eligible for the 2018 Games had been reduced from 500 to 389.&nbsp;

Russia`s deputy prime minister responsible for sport Vitaly Mutko -- also suspended for life by the IOC for his role in the doping scandal -- earlier said he believed around 200 Russians would ultimately be cleared for Pyeongchang.

The decision was made aftermath of a state-sponsored doping scandal

Short track speed skating star Victor An has been excluded from the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in the aftermath of a state-sponsored doping scandal, angry Russian officials confirmed on Tuesday. Six-time Olympic gold medallist An -- who was born in South Korea but took Russian citizenship before the 2014 Sochi Games -- was "absent from the list of potential participants", vice president of the Russian Olympic Committee Stanislav Pozdnyakov said in a statement, confirming media reports from Monday. Olympic champion biathlete Anton Shipulin and world champion skier Sergei Ustyugov were also absent from the list of athletes invited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the statement said. The absent sportsmen have "never been implicated in any type of doping affair and the numerous tests they have passed in their careers show that they are clean athletes", Pozdnyakov said. "Today we will send the International Olympic Committee a request for the specific reasons why the captains of Russian teams in various sports have not been included in the list of potential participants." The ROC said it did not see this as a final decision, but An`s lawyer told media on Monday there would not be time to appeal before the Games. In a separate statement, the Russian figure skating federation said skaters Ksenia Stolbova and Ivan Bukin had been banned from the games, in a decision the body slammed as "groundless and absurd". Stolbova along with her partner Fedor Klimov took silver in the European Championships in Moscow last week and the pair were also second at the Sochi Winter Games in 2014. Bukin won bronze with his partner Alexandra Stepanova at the latest European Championships.President of the Russian Skating Union Alexei Kravtsov said he was "outraged by the unjust decision" to bar top athletes. "By acting like this, the IOC can be compared to a despot and a tyrant, trampling on laws and deciding people`s fate simply according to its whims," he said in a statement. "It is clear that we do not really have time to do anything before the Olympics, but we intend to continue the fight to clear the names of our athletes," he added. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he had seen the "sad" media reports that An, Ustyugov and Shipulin had been banned. "We deeply regret this, if such a decision is indeed taken," he told journalists.The IOC banned Russia from the 2018 Olympics after a report on a vast, Moscow-backed doping scheme in previous Games. Russians who want to compete are being forced to pass a unique set of anti-doping tests. Those deemed clean will be allowed to appear in Pyeongchang under a neutral flag as an "Olympic Athlete from Russia". An had earlier requested permission to compete as a neutral athlete following the IOC`s ban on Russia. Dozens of Russian athletes banned by the IOC for life for doping began an appeal against their suspension on Monday at the world`s top sports court. The week-long hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) includes appeals from 39 Russians who competed at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi but are now banned after multiple independent reports linked them to doping. Last week the IOC said the pool of Russians who could potentially be eligible for the 2018 Games had been reduced from 500 to 389. Russia`s deputy prime minister responsible for sport Vitaly Mutko -- also suspended for life by the IOC for his role in the doping scandal -- earlier said he believed around 200 Russians would ultimately be cleared for Pyeongchang.

Pyeongchang Winter Olympics: Russia confirms star speed skater Victor An banned for doping

South Korea&#39;s Jang Hye-Ji launched 18 days of competition at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics today by sliding the first mixed doubles curling stone in Olympic history down the ice.

While the official opening ceremonies are not until tomorrow night, the first mixed doubles curling event in the Olympic Games began a day early to open 18 days of competition that will conclude with the February 25 closing cermonies.

Jang took the opportunity to make Olympic history in her opening round-robin match match alongside Lee Ki-Jeong against Finland&#39;s Oona Kauste and Tomi Rantamaeki before about 2,500 spectators at Gangneung Curling Centre.

Other opening round-robin matches sent Canada against Norway, China against reigning world champion Switzerland and the Olympic Athletes from Russia against the United States.

The Russians - the 2016 world champion husband-and-wife team of Aleksandr Krushelnitckii and Anastasia Bryzgalova - are competing under the Olympic flag after Russia was banned from the Games for major doping violations at the 2014 Sochi Games.

The OAR duo launched their medal quest against US siblings Matt and Becca Hamilton, inspiring a solitary &quot;Russ- i-a&quot; yell from the crowd after scoring two points in the second end.

After seven round-robin matches through Sunday, the top four teams will reach Monday&#39;s semi-finals with medal matches set for Tuesday.

After seven round-robin matches through Sunday, the top four teams will reach Monday's semi-finals with medal matches set for Tuesday.

South Korea's Jang Hye-Ji launched 18 days of competition at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics today by sliding the first mixed doubles curling stone in Olympic history down the ice. While the official opening ceremonies are not until tomorrow night, the first mixed doubles curling event in the Olympic Games began a day early to open 18 days of competition that will conclude with the February 25 closing cermonies. Jang took the opportunity to make Olympic history in her opening round-robin match match alongside Lee Ki-Jeong against Finland's Oona Kauste and Tomi Rantamaeki before about 2,500 spectators at Gangneung Curling Centre. Other opening round-robin matches sent Canada against Norway, China against reigning world champion Switzerland and the Olympic Athletes from Russia against the United States. The Russians - the 2016 world champion husband-and-wife team of Aleksandr Krushelnitckii and Anastasia Bryzgalova - are competing under the Olympic flag after Russia was banned from the Games for major doping violations at the 2014 Sochi Games. The OAR duo launched their medal quest against US siblings Matt and Becca Hamilton, inspiring a solitary "Russ- i-a" yell from the crowd after scoring two points in the second end. After seven round-robin matches through Sunday, the top four teams will reach Monday's semi-finals with medal matches set for Tuesday.

Pyeongchang Winter Olympics competition begins with curling

The International <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/instances-doping-use-in-russia-admits-putin-31242">Olympic Committee said today </a>that the 13 Russian athletes whose life bans for doping was lifted will not be invited for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics starting on Friday.

&quot;The OAR <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-secret-services-control-doping-whistleblower-rodchenkov-putin-26760">IG (Olympic Athlete from Russia Implementation Group) </a>confirmed that no additional invitations will be extended to these 15 individuals,&quot; the IOC said.

Earlier, the IOC had said the athletes may be allowed to attend the Winter Games after spokesman Mark Adams said the cases of the athletes would be examined by a specialist IOC panel.

Last week the Court for Arbitration in Sport(CAS) had overturned the life bans on 28 Russian athletes linked to doping.

However, &nbsp;169 Russians who have passed strict anti-doping protocols will compete under a neutral flag.

The IOC announcement comes after the body&#39;s president, Thomas Bach, slammed the CAS decision as &quot;extremely disappointing and surprising&quot; and called for reforms to the independent sports tribunal.

&quot;We have some concerns about the quality of this decision,&quot; Bach said.

Russian officials had said last Tuesday that short track speed skating star Victor An has been excluded from the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics due to doping allegations.

Olympic champion biathlete Anton Shipulin and world champion skier Sergei Ustyugov were also absent from the list of athletes invited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the statement said.

Earlier, the IOC had said the athletes may be allowed to attend the Winter Games

The International Olympic Committee said today that the 13 Russian athletes whose life bans for doping was lifted will not be invited for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics starting on Friday. "The OAR IG (Olympic Athlete from Russia Implementation Group) confirmed that no additional invitations will be extended to these 15 individuals," the IOC said. Earlier, the IOC had said the athletes may be allowed to attend the Winter Games after spokesman Mark Adams said the cases of the athletes would be examined by a specialist IOC panel. Last week the Court for Arbitration in Sport(CAS) had overturned the life bans on 28 Russian athletes linked to doping. However, 169 Russians who have passed strict anti-doping protocols will compete under a neutral flag. The IOC announcement comes after the body's president, Thomas Bach, slammed the CAS decision as "extremely disappointing and surprising" and called for reforms to the independent sports tribunal. "We have some concerns about the quality of this decision," Bach said. Russian officials had said last Tuesday that short track speed skating star Victor An has been excluded from the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics due to doping allegations. Olympic champion biathlete Anton Shipulin and world champion skier Sergei Ustyugov were also absent from the list of athletes invited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the statement said.

No Winter Olympics for Russians whose life bans have been lifted, rules IOC

South Korea said today that North Korea <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/winter-olympics-unified-korean-ice-hockey-team-lost-in-translation-31075">has called off joint Olympic performance</a> on its soil, the South Korean government said today.

North Korea had <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-imposes-more-north-korea-sanctions-urges-china-russia-expulsions-30761">earlier agreed to form a unified </a>women&#39;s ice hockey team with the South in what the authorities have dubbed&nbsp;the &quot;peace Olympics&quot;. The two teams have already begun practicing together for the Winter Games.

The ice hockey squad comprises of &nbsp;23 South Korean players and 12 North Koreans.

The North Koreans are due to send another 10 athletes to take part in the Winter Games in other sports including cross-country skiing and figure skating.

The Winter Olympics due to start in Pyeongchang next month has been the center of North and South Korean peace moves for the last one month although South&#39;s unification minister had urged North Korea last week that Pyongyang should seize the opportunity to talk to Washington.&nbsp;

Both South Korea and the US have decided to put military exercises on hold till the Winter Olympics and Paralympics end on March 25th.

Amid the peace moves, reports say North Korea is preparing a military parade in Pyongyang on February 8th, a day before the Winter Olympics&#39; opening ceremony.

The ice hockey squad comprises of 23 South Korean players and 12 North Koreans.

South Korea said today that North Korea has called off joint Olympic performance on its soil, the South Korean government said today. North Korea had earlier agreed to form a unified women's ice hockey team with the South in what the authorities have dubbed the "peace Olympics". The two teams have already begun practicing together for the Winter Games. The ice hockey squad comprises of 23 South Korean players and 12 North Koreans. The North Koreans are due to send another 10 athletes to take part in the Winter Games in other sports including cross-country skiing and figure skating. The Winter Olympics due to start in Pyeongchang next month has been the center of North and South Korean peace moves for the last one month although South's unification minister had urged North Korea last week that Pyongyang should seize the opportunity to talk to Washington. Both South Korea and the US have decided to put military exercises on hold till the Winter Olympics and Paralympics end on March 25th. Amid the peace moves, reports say North Korea is preparing a military parade in Pyongyang on February 8th, a day before the Winter Olympics' opening ceremony.

North Korea won't hold joint Olympic performance on own soil: South Korea

The Winter Olympics due to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-korean-president-willing-to-hold-summit-with-kim-jong-un-29072">begin in&nbsp;Pyeongchang, South Korea next month </a>has been overtaken by events on the Korean peninsula with North Korea set to send a delegation to participate in the games.

North Korean figure <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-to-send-team-to-winter-games-south-to-consider-easing-bans-after-talks-28995">skaters &nbsp;Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik </a>who had missed the deadline for the Winter Games may still participate with both Koreas intent on making the &quot;peace games&quot; a success.

The only North Koreans to qualify for the Winter Olympics, Ryom Tae-Ok, 19, and Kim Ju-Sik, 25, missed the registration 30th October deadline and are now relying on a helping hand from the International Olympic Committee(IOC)

Ryom Tae-Ok, 19, and Kim Ju-Sik, 25, competed in figure skating competition in Germany and Finland last year. In fact, the pair competed in skating competition in Oberstdorf, southern Germany as North Korean leader Kim was testing his ballistic missile in the region.

Korean sports officials are hoping that &nbsp;Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik get a nod from the IOC to compete in the games next month.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, North Korea&#39;s IOC representative, Chang Ung said the duo would &quot;probably participate&quot; in Pyeongchang and the IOC on its part is also reportedly providing equipment to the athletes with officials keen to see the duo at the games.

The only North Koreans to qualify for the Winter Olympics, Ryom Tae-Ok, 19, and Kim Ju-Sik, 25, missed the registration 30th October deadline

The Winter Olympics due to begin in Pyeongchang, South Korea next month has been overtaken by events on the Korean peninsula with North Korea set to send a delegation to participate in the games. North Korean figure skaters Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik who had missed the deadline for the Winter Games may still participate with both Koreas intent on making the "peace games" a success. The only North Koreans to qualify for the Winter Olympics, Ryom Tae-Ok, 19, and Kim Ju-Sik, 25, missed the registration 30th October deadline and are now relying on a helping hand from the International Olympic Committee(IOC) Ryom Tae-Ok, 19, and Kim Ju-Sik, 25, competed in figure skating competition in Germany and Finland last year. In fact, the pair competed in skating competition in Oberstdorf, southern Germany as North Korean leader Kim was testing his ballistic missile in the region. Korean sports officials are hoping that Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik get a nod from the IOC to compete in the games next month. Meanwhile, North Korea's IOC representative, Chang Ung said the duo would "probably participate" in Pyeongchang and the IOC on its part is also reportedly providing equipment to the athletes with officials keen to see the duo at the games.

Pyeongchang Winter Olympics: 2 North Korean skaters seek date with destiny at 'peace games'

North Korea said during rare talks with the South on Tuesday it will send a delegation to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea next month and Seoul said it was prepared to lift some sanctions temporarily to facilitate the visit if needed.

North Korean officials at the first formal talks with South Korea in more than two years said their delegation for the Games would consist of athletes, high-ranking officials and a cheering squad.

The talks are being closely watched by world leaders eager for any sign of a reduction in tensions on the Korean peninsula amid rising fears over North Korea&#39;s missile launches and development of nuclear weapons in defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

South Korea has unilaterally banned several North Korean officials from entering the country in response to Pyongyang&#39;s ramped-up missile and nuclear tests, conducted despite international pressure.

However, some South Korean officials have said they see the Olympics as a possible opportunity for easing tensions.

Foreign ministry spokesman Roh Kyu-deok said Seoul would consider whether it needed to take &quot;prior steps&quot;, together with the U.N. Security Council and other relevant countries, to help the North Koreans visit for the Olympics.

At Tuesday&#39;s talks, the first since December 2015, Seoul proposed inter-Korean military discussions to reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula and a reunion of family members in time for February&#39;s Lunar New Year holiday, South Korea&#39;s vice unification minister Chun Hae-sung said.

South Korea also proposed that athletes from the two Koreas march together at the Games&#39; opening ceremony and other joint activities between during the Winter Olympics, Chun told reporters outside the talks.

Athletes from the two Koreas have paraded together at the opening and closing ceremonies of major international games before, although it has not been seen since the 2007 Asian Winter Games in China after relations chilled under nearly a decade of conservative rule in the South.

It would also be the first time since 2005 for the North to send its female cheerleaders, dubbed the &quot;cheering squad of beauty&quot; by South Korean media.

Peace House

The meetings continued on Tuesday afternoon after the two sides broke up for separate lunches. Officials began speaking at 10 a.m. (0100 GMT) in the three-storey Peace House just across the demilitarised zone on the South Korean side of Panmunjom truce village.

&quot;North Korea said that they are determined to make today&rsquo;s talks fruitful, and make it a groundbreaking opportunity,&quot; South Korea&#39;s Chun said.

Chun also said the South Koreans proposed resuming negotiations over the North&#39;s nuclear programme but there was no specific response from the North Koreans.

However, North Korean officials said during the meeting they were open to promoting reconciliation between the two countries through dialogue and negotiation, according to Chun.

The head of the North Korean delegation, Ri Son Gwon, said in opening remarks: &quot;We came to this meeting today with the thought of giving our brethren, who have high hopes for this dialogue, invaluable results as the first present of the year .&quot;

Good present

North Korea entered the talks with a &quot;serious and sincere stance&quot;, said Ri, chairman of the North&#39;s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland.

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon expressed optimism as the meeting began.

&quot;Our talks began after North and South Korea were severed for a long time, but I believe the first step is half the trip,&quot; said Cho. &quot;It would be good for us to make that &#39;good present&#39; you mentioned earlier.&quot;

&quot;Everything feels slightly new as we have not had talks in a while,&quot; he said.

Just before the delegation drove into the demilitarised zone, some 20 South Koreans were seen waving a banner that read: &quot;We wish the success of the high-ranking inter-Korean talks&quot;.

One man was spotted waving a flag with a unified Korean peninsula.

The delegations were made up of five senior officials from each side.

The North Korean delegation walked over the border inside the joint security area to the Peace House around 0030 GMT, an official from the South&#39;s Unification Ministry told reporters.

The United States, which has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War, initially responded coolly to the idea of inter-Korean meetings, but U.S. President Donald Trump later called the talks &quot;a good thing&quot;.

Trump has said he would like to see talks go beyond the Olympics. &quot;At the appropriate time, we&#39;ll get involved,&quot; he said.

China&#39;s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it was happy to see talks between North and South Korea take place and welcomed all positive steps.

North Korean officials at the first formal talks with South Korea in more than two years said their delegation for the Games would consist of athletes, high-ranking officials and a cheering squad

North Korea said during rare talks with the South on Tuesday it will send a delegation to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in South Korea next month and Seoul said it was prepared to lift some sanctions temporarily to facilitate the visit if needed. North Korean officials at the first formal talks with South Korea in more than two years said their delegation for the Games would consist of athletes, high-ranking officials and a cheering squad. The talks are being closely watched by world leaders eager for any sign of a reduction in tensions on the Korean peninsula amid rising fears over North Korea's missile launches and development of nuclear weapons in defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions. South Korea has unilaterally banned several North Korean officials from entering the country in response to Pyongyang's ramped-up missile and nuclear tests, conducted despite international pressure. However, some South Korean officials have said they see the Olympics as a possible opportunity for easing tensions. Foreign ministry spokesman Roh Kyu-deok said Seoul would consider whether it needed to take "prior steps", together with the U.N. Security Council and other relevant countries, to help the North Koreans visit for the Olympics. At Tuesday's talks, the first since December 2015, Seoul proposed inter-Korean military discussions to reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula and a reunion of family members in time for February's Lunar New Year holiday, South Korea's vice unification minister Chun Hae-sung said. South Korea also proposed that athletes from the two Koreas march together at the Games' opening ceremony and other joint activities between during the Winter Olympics, Chun told reporters outside the talks. Athletes from the two Koreas have paraded together at the opening and closing ceremonies of major international games before, although it has not been seen since the 2007 Asian Winter Games in China after relations chilled under nearly a decade of conservative rule in the South. It would also be the first time since 2005 for the North to send its female cheerleaders, dubbed the "cheering squad of beauty" by South Korean media. Peace House The meetings continued on Tuesday afternoon after the two sides broke up for separate lunches. Officials began speaking at 10 a.m. (0100 GMT) in the three-storey Peace House just across the demilitarised zone on the South Korean side of Panmunjom truce village. "North Korea said that they are determined to make today’s talks fruitful, and make it a groundbreaking opportunity," South Korea's Chun said. Chun also said the South Koreans proposed resuming negotiations over the North's nuclear programme but there was no specific response from the North Koreans. However, North Korean officials said during the meeting they were open to promoting reconciliation between the two countries through dialogue and negotiation, according to Chun. The head of the North Korean delegation, Ri Son Gwon, said in opening remarks: "We came to this meeting today with the thought of giving our brethren, who have high hopes for this dialogue, invaluable results as the first present of the year ." Good present North Korea entered the talks with a "serious and sincere stance", said Ri, chairman of the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland. South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon expressed optimism as the meeting began. "Our talks began after North and South Korea were severed for a long time, but I believe the first step is half the trip," said Cho. "It would be good for us to make that 'good present' you mentioned earlier." "Everything feels slightly new as we have not had talks in a while," he said. Just before the delegation drove into the demilitarised zone, some 20 South Koreans were seen waving a banner that read: "We wish the success of the high-ranking inter-Korean talks". One man was spotted waving a flag with a unified Korean peninsula. The delegations were made up of five senior officials from each side. The North Korean delegation walked over the border inside the joint security area to the Peace House around 0030 GMT, an official from the South's Unification Ministry told reporters. The United States, which has 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-1953 Korean War, initially responded coolly to the idea of inter-Korean meetings, but U.S. President Donald Trump later called the talks "a good thing". Trump has said he would like to see talks go beyond the Olympics. "At the appropriate time, we'll get involved," he said. China's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday it was happy to see talks between North and South Korea take place and welcomed all positive steps.

After talks, South Korea to consider easing ban on North Korea

The International Olympic Committee Tuesday banned Russia from the 2018 Winter Games over its state-orchestrated doping programme, however, Russian athletes not found guilty of doping will be allowed to compete under the Olympic flag. IOC president Thomas Bach accused Russia of &quot;perpetrating an unprecedented attack on the integrity of the Olympic Games and sport&quot;. Reportedly, the ban&nbsp;is believed to be one of the toughest sanction ever levelled by the IOC for drug cheating. The ban came 65 days ahead of the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.&nbsp;

The IOC Russia ban was announced after the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) and two subsequent IOC investigations confirmed Russian athletes to have participated in a drug-cheating programme which peaked during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Evidence also pointed at the alleged involvement of senior government officials. Russia&#39;s Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko, who served as the country&#39;s sports minister during the Sochi Games has also been banned for life. Mutko currently heads the organising committee for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Russia. FIFA, in an official statement, said that it has taken note of IOC&#39;s decision on Mutko and stated that &quot;no impact on the preparations&quot; has taken place for the 2018 Russia World Cup. The IOC also suspended the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and its chief Alexander Zhukov. &nbsp;Zhukov said he &quot;apologised&quot; to the IOC on Tuesday for the &quot;anti-doping violations&quot; committed in his country in recent years.&nbsp;

Reportedly, the IOC&nbsp;had an option to take more severe measures against Russian, including a blanket ban that was applied to apartheid-era South Africa from 1964 to 1988. The IOC moderate approach has now enabled some Russian athletes to compete in the Games after confirming to and coming clean out of a stringent testing programme and will participate under the name &quot;Olympic Athlete from Russia&quot; and shall compete under a neutral flag. &quot;No Russian athlete with a previous doping violation will be allowed to compete and no official who had a leadership role at Sochi 2014 will be invited to Pyeongchang,&quot; noted an AFP report. Russia&#39;s flag will not fly at any 2018 ceremony, the IOC said.

Mutko, on the other hand, has said the allegations were an attempt &quot;to create an image of an axis of evil&quot; against his country while Putin has warned that a Russia ban would cause &quot;serious harm to the Olympic movement&quot;. He said forcing Russian athletes to compete under a neutral flag would amount to a national &quot;humiliation&quot;.

For Grigory Rodchenkov, the former Russian laboratory chief and whistleblower who lifted the lid on the cheating scheme, the IOC`s action was a needed step to clean up the Olympic movement.

(With inputs from AFP)

 
&nbsp;

The ban was announced after subsequent investigations confirmed Russian athletes had participated in a state-sponsored drug-cheating programme

The International Olympic Committee Tuesday banned Russia from the 2018 Winter Games over its state-orchestrated doping programme, however, Russian athletes not found guilty of doping will be allowed to compete under the Olympic flag. IOC president Thomas Bach accused Russia of "perpetrating an unprecedented attack on the integrity of the Olympic Games and sport". Reportedly, the ban is believed to be one of the toughest sanction ever levelled by the IOC for drug cheating. The ban came 65 days ahead of the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The IOC Russia ban was announced after the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) and two subsequent IOC investigations confirmed Russian athletes to have participated in a drug-cheating programme which peaked during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Evidence also pointed at the alleged involvement of senior government officials. Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko, who served as the country's sports minister during the Sochi Games has also been banned for life. Mutko currently heads the organising committee for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Russia. FIFA, in an official statement, said that it has taken note of IOC's decision on Mutko and stated that "no impact on the preparations" has taken place for the 2018 Russia World Cup. The IOC also suspended the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and its chief Alexander Zhukov. Zhukov said he "apologised" to the IOC on Tuesday for the "anti-doping violations" committed in his country in recent years. Reportedly, the IOC had an option to take more severe measures against Russian, including a blanket ban that was applied to apartheid-era South Africa from 1964 to 1988. The IOC moderate approach has now enabled some Russian athletes to compete in the Games after confirming to and coming clean out of a stringent testing programme and will participate under the name "Olympic Athlete from Russia" and shall compete under a neutral flag. "No Russian athlete with a previous doping violation will be allowed to compete and no official who had a leadership role at Sochi 2014 will be invited to Pyeongchang," noted an AFP report. Russia's flag will not fly at any 2018 ceremony, the IOC said. Mutko, on the other hand, has said the allegations were an attempt "to create an image of an axis of evil" against his country while Putin has warned that a Russia ban would cause "serious harm to the Olympic movement". He said forcing Russian athletes to compete under a neutral flag would amount to a national "humiliation". For Grigory Rodchenkov, the former Russian laboratory chief and whistleblower who lifted the lid on the cheating scheme, the IOC`s action was a needed step to clean up the Olympic movement. (With inputs from AFP)

Russia banned from 2018 Winter Olympics

&nbsp;Russia has no plan to boycott the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) imposes restrictions on the country&#39;s participation in alleged state-sponsored doping, the Kremlin said on Monday.

The IOC is set to decide on Tuesday on Russia&#39;s participation as more than 20 Russian athletes have been banned from the Olympics for life over doping violations at the 2014 Sochi Games.

&quot;No, it&#39;s not being discussed,&quot; Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of a possible Russian boycott in a conference call with reporters.

&quot;We are against the infringement of our athletes&#39; rights, the unjustifiable infringement of rights. But at the same time Russia remains committed to the ideals of Olympism.&quot;

Peskov added that Russia&#39;s decision not to boycott was made by President Vladimir Putin and was aimed at &quot;preserving all possible channels of cooperation and dialogue with the IOC, as well as with other international sports organisations&quot;.

The IOC has been re-testing all Russian athletes&#39; samples from the 2014 Games following disclosures by Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of Moscow&#39;s suspended anti-doping laboratory, of a scheme to cover up home competitors&#39; positive samples.

The bans on Russian athletes came as a result of an IOC investigation into widespread doping by Russian athletes and sample-tampering by laboratory and security officials at the Sochi Games.

Russian sports authorities have vowed to appeal against the suspensions.

Despite repeated calls for cooperation with international bodies to help rid Russia of doping, the authorities have never acknowledged the state&#39;s role in the scandal.

Russia&#39;s Paralympic Committee, athletics federation and anti-doping agency RUSADA remain suspended over doping issues.

The IOC is set to decide on Tuesday on Russia's participation as more than 20 Russian athletes have been banned from the Olympics for life over doping violations at the 2014 Sochi Games,

Russia has no plan to boycott the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) imposes restrictions on the country's participation in alleged state-sponsored doping, the Kremlin said on Monday. The IOC is set to decide on Tuesday on Russia's participation as more than 20 Russian athletes have been banned from the Olympics for life over doping violations at the 2014 Sochi Games. "No, it's not being discussed," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of a possible Russian boycott in a conference call with reporters. "We are against the infringement of our athletes' rights, the unjustifiable infringement of rights. But at the same time Russia remains committed to the ideals of Olympism." Peskov added that Russia's decision not to boycott was made by President Vladimir Putin and was aimed at "preserving all possible channels of cooperation and dialogue with the IOC, as well as with other international sports organisations". The IOC has been re-testing all Russian athletes' samples from the 2014 Games following disclosures by Grigory Rodchenkov, the former head of Moscow's suspended anti-doping laboratory, of a scheme to cover up home competitors' positive samples. The bans on Russian athletes came as a result of an IOC investigation into widespread doping by Russian athletes and sample-tampering by laboratory and security officials at the Sochi Games. Russian sports authorities have vowed to appeal against the suspensions. Despite repeated calls for cooperation with international bodies to help rid Russia of doping, the authorities have never acknowledged the state's role in the scandal. Russia's Paralympic Committee, athletics federation and anti-doping agency RUSADA remain suspended over doping issues.

No plan to boycott Olympics after doping scandal: Russia

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