Indonesia invites Moon, Kim to Asian Games

JAKARTA • The Indonesian government has extended its invitation to the leaders of the two Koreas to attend next month's Asian Games to be held in Jakarta and Palembang, in South Sumatra, a high-ranking official revealed yesterday.

"The Foreign Affairs Minister will officially convey the invitation to the South Korean leader, while I will relay the invitation to the North Korean leader," coordinating human development and culture minister Puan Maharani told the press in Grobogan regency in Central Java.

"We do hope that both leaders will accept our invitations," she added, referring to South Korea's President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo's spokesman Johan Budi had said on Monday that Mr Joko had sent a formal invitation to Mr Moon and Mr Kim.

The Olympic Council of Asia has announced that the two Koreas will field joint teams to compete in canoeing, rowing and women's basketball at the quadrennial sporting event.

The 18th Asian Games will kick off on Aug 18.

THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 19, 2018, with the headline Indonesia invites Moon, Kim to Asian Games. Subscribe