South Korea's presidential office has welcomed the qualification of North Korean figure skaters for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics next year.

A senior official at the presidential office said on Sunday that Seoul welcomes North Korea securing the opportunity to take part in the PyeongChang Olympics, and expressed hope that more North Korean athletes will have a chance to join the event.

Another Cheong Wa Dae official said that the final decision regarding the North's Olympic participation rests with the North Korean Olympic committee, stressing that it's important to quietly wait and watch the situation to see if the North decides to join the games voluntarily.

The figure staking duo, Ryom Tae-ok and Kim Ju-sik, secured a spot for the games during a competition at the Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf, Germany on Friday.