NORTH KOREA TO HOST ASIAN YOUTH WEIGHTLIFTING

JAKARTA : The 2019 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships will be held in the  North Korean capital Pyongyang, a signal that-

The secretive country may be coming in from the sporting cold.

At the Asian Games weightlifting in Jakarta, which North Korea have dominated winning seven gold medals, the  Asian Weightlifting Federation and North Korea's Sports Minister Kim II Guk signed an agreement on Sunday for North Korea to hold the championships from Oct 27 next year.

North Korea administrators have been hoping the country would be able to host international events after combining with  South Korea in several sports at this year's  Winter Olympics and Asian Games, and also marching under one flag at the Games opening ceremonies.

South Korea's weightlifting officials last sent weightlifters to the North in September 2013 for the Asian Cup and Interclub Junior and Senior Weightlifting Championship.

North Korea's sports minister Kim said everybody was welcome to come to Pyongyang for the championships including South Koreans. [AFP]