A North Korean taekwondo demonstration team arrived in South Korea yesterday for its first performances in the rival country in 10 years.

The team’s arrival came as South Korea’s new liberal president Moon Jae In trys to reach out to North Korea despite the North’s push to bolster its nuclear and missile programmes. The North’s sole International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, Chang Ung, is travelling with the taekwondo team and will meet South Korean officials over co-operation on next year’s Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Upon their arrival at Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport, South Korean children wearing taekwondo uniforms draped bouquets of flowers around the neck of Chang and other North Koreans amid a barrage of camera flashes. Chang told a televised news conference that Pyeongchang issues will be discussed when IOC President Thomas Bach visits South Korea next week.