Pyongyang, March 31 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, received Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and his party on a visit to the DPRK.
Respected Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un met the IOC president and had a souvenir photo taken with him.
He warmly welcomed the IOC president's visit to the DPRK and had a talk with him in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
The IOC president said the purpose of their visit to Pyongyang is to express the most heartfelt thanks to respected Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission for his contribution to making the 23rd Winter Olympics successful ones symbolic of peace.
At the Olympics the teams of the north and the south jointly entered the venue of the opening ceremony in the Olympic ideal, competed in games as a single team for the first time in the history of Olympics and thus showed the whole world their will to achieve peace and reconciliation and made the Olympics the ones which evoked the greatest emotion, the president said.
He expressed his will to make sure that the IOC would cooperate with the DPRK in the long-term preparation for its participation in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and greatly contribute to the development of sports in the DPRK by proactively using the international sports arena including the Olympic forum with his Pyongyang visit as a momentum.
The Supreme Leader thanked him for it and said that he was very thankful that the IOC paid special attention to the DPRK players' participation in the 23rd Winter Olympics and made active cooperation while taking special measures beyond rules and precedents.
Noting the Winter Olympics were not only successful ones as Olympics but also ones of special significance which opened a new chapter of concord between the north and the south, he said that the once frozen north-south relations greeted a dramatic thawing season with the Olympics as a momentum and it was totally attributable to the efforts of the IOC which offered an opportunity and paved a path for it.
Expressing deep thanks to the IOC for having sincerely cooperated with the DPRK, regardless of any political climate and conditions, he hoped that the positive and proactive cooperative relations between the DPRK Olympic Committee and the IOC would as ever favorably develop.
Explaining the IOC president about the sports policy of the DPRK and its prospect, he said he expects close contact and excellent cooperation with the IOC in further developing and improving various sports events including winter sports events in line with the world trend.
He warmly invited the IOC president to frequently visit the DPRK as a friend.
Present there were Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the C.C., Workers' Party of Korea, vice-chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK and vice-chairman of the C.C., WPK, Choe Hwi, chairman of the National Sports Guidance Committee and vice-chairman of the C.C., WPK, Kim Il Guk, chairman of the DPRK Olympic Committee and minister of Physical Culture and Sports, and other cadres.
That day the Supreme Leader, together with the IOC president and his party, enjoyed a football match between the State Women's Football Team and the Women's Football Team of the Pyongyang Sports Team. -0-
More From KCNA.kp (En)
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea,
January 13, 2026
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea,
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- The Onpho Working People's Holiday Camp under construction in Kyongsong County, North Hamgyong
January 13, 2026
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- The Onpho Working People's Holiday Camp under construction in Kyongsong County, North Hamgyong
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- A photo exhibition "Bringing up a large contingent of successors to the revolution and patriotic
January 13, 2026
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- A photo exhibition "Bringing up a large contingent of successors to the revolution and patriotic
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- Fishery stations on the west coast of the DPRK are busy with the preparations for spring fishing.
January 13, 2026
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- Fishery stations on the west coast of the DPRK are busy with the preparations for spring fishing.
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- Following are major news items and articles in leading newspapers of the DPRK on Tuesday: - A
January 13, 2026
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- Following are major news items and articles in leading newspapers of the DPRK on Tuesday: - A
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- Modern houses have been built at the Hwangju Township Farm of the North Hwanghae Provincial Rural
January 13, 2026
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- Modern houses have been built at the Hwangju Township Farm of the North Hwanghae Provincial Rural
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- The Wonsan General Fishing Implements Factory was inaugurated in Kangwon Province, the DPRK. The
January 13, 2026
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- The Wonsan General Fishing Implements Factory was inaugurated in Kangwon Province, the DPRK. The
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- There took place a seminar for deeply grasping the immortal leadership exploits of President Kim
January 13, 2026
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- There took place a seminar for deeply grasping the immortal leadership exploits of President Kim
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- Kim Song, permanent representative of the DPRK to the UN, issued the following press statement on
January 13, 2026
Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- Kim Song, permanent representative of the DPRK to the UN, issued the following press statement on
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- Citizens of the DPRK conducted mass sports activities on the first day of sports for this year.
January 12, 2026
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- Citizens of the DPRK conducted mass sports activities on the first day of sports for this year.
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- According to Rodong Sinmun, scientists of the Ferrous Metal Research Institute of the State
January 12, 2026
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- According to Rodong Sinmun, scientists of the Ferrous Metal Research Institute of the State
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- In Kaesong Municipality of the DPRK, there are three tombs called Myongrung tomb cluster. The
January 12, 2026
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- In Kaesong Municipality of the DPRK, there are three tombs called Myongrung tomb cluster. The
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- Following are major news items and articles in Rodong Sinmun, a leading newspaper of the DPRK, on
January 12, 2026
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- Following are major news items and articles in Rodong Sinmun, a leading newspaper of the DPRK, on
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- North Hamgyong Province of the DPRK makes the preparations for building rural dwellings in the new
January 12, 2026
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- North Hamgyong Province of the DPRK makes the preparations for building rural dwellings in the new
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- Many units in the key industries of the DPRK carried out their production plans for the first ten
January 12, 2026
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- Many units in the key industries of the DPRK carried out their production plans for the first ten
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- At a time when new villages are springing up across the DPRK, new houses have been built at the
January 12, 2026
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- At a time when new villages are springing up across the DPRK, new houses have been built at the
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- The permanent mission of the DPRK to the United Nations issued the following press statement on
January 12, 2026
Pyongyang, January 12 (KCNA) -- The permanent mission of the DPRK to the United Nations issued the following press statement on
Pyongyang, January 11 (KCNA) -- The South Hwanghae Provincial Tideland Reclamation General Enterprise in the DPRK carried out the
January 11, 2026
Pyongyang, January 11 (KCNA) -- The South Hwanghae Provincial Tideland Reclamation General Enterprise in the DPRK carried out the
Pyongyang, January 11 (KCNA) -- The Kigwancha Sports Team, which has contributed to the country's sports development, marked its
January 11, 2026
Pyongyang, January 11 (KCNA) -- The Kigwancha Sports Team, which has contributed to the country's sports development, marked its
Pyongyang, January 11 (KCNA) -- Industrial establishments in the DPRK are conducting a drive for increased production to greet the
January 11, 2026
Pyongyang, January 11 (KCNA) -- Industrial establishments in the DPRK are conducting a drive for increased production to greet the
More Articles
