Although the level of athletic ability is relatively higher in the South, the effect of a North-South team cannot be discounted. North Korean athletes have acknowledged skills in table tennis, soccer, wrestling, boxing, judo, and target shooting to name a few. For marathons, soccer, and weight lifting, the two sides illustrate the old Korean saying, "The best men are found in the South and the best women in the North."


South Korean men show more skill in the marathon, while North Korean women who have the upper hand in weight lifting are expected to carry off medals at various international competitions. North Korean female athletes are also strong in judo, and their soccer is at par with the Chinese and American women's teams. The only problem seems to lie in men's soccer, where the difference in ability is the greatest. Although North Korea has some fine players, there is difficulty in the allocations of positions due to the small number of available players.

Speculation is also rife that a joint Korean basketball team can exercise more power on the basket court if Lee Myung-hoon, who at 2.37 meters is called the Michael Jordan of North Korea, is able to play with South Korean basketball players. In the meanwhile, the two sides will send a joint women's table tennis team to the 2001 World Games in Osaka.


(Cho Jung-hun, donjuan@chosun.com)