IOC President Thomas Bach (Photo: VNA)

The announcement came ahead of Tuesday discussions on Pyongyang’s participation in the Games led by IOC President Thomas Bach. He will meet Chang Ung, a member of the North Korean Olympic Committee, at the IOC's headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

IOC said its mission is always to ensure the participation of all qualified athletes, beyond all political tensions and divisions. IOC added that due to the particular situation on the Korean peninsula, they need the political commitment from all parties concerned before making the final decision.