South Korea says it has invited North Korea to compete at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju later this year. 

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said on Tuesday that Seoul is waiting for Pyongyang’s response after Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Do Jong-hwan delivered an invitation letter during a tripartite meeting with the International Olympic Committee(IOC) in Switzerland last week.

Lee noted that more than 40 percent of the spots for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be up for grabs at the 18th FINA World Aquatics Championships in July and that he expects talented North Korean athletes to attend the event.  

The prime minister also mentioned the slogan of the championships “Dive into Peace” and hopes that the North’s participation will make it an event for peace.  

Sports Minister Do and his North Korean counterpart Kim Il-guk held talks on inter-Korean sports cooperation with IOC President Thomas Bach at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne last Friday.