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From the Olympics Toword Tomorrow

Shinano Mainichi

N. Korean athletes visit primary school in Nagano

The North Korean Olympic team took time out Wednesday to play and sing with pupils of a local elementary school who will act as cheer leaders for the North Koreans during the Olympic Winter Games.

About 200 pupils of the Hoshina Elementary School turned out to give the Korean visitors a rousing welcome, waving small North Korean flags and greeting the visitors in the Korean language.

''I am certain that we will get good results in competition thanks to your encouragement,'' said North Korea Olympic team chief Mun Jae Dok, who led 20 North Korean Olympic officials and athletes to the school in southeast Nagano.

The schoolchildren, members of the ''One School, One Country'' program created by organizers of the Nagano Games, entertained the visitors with traditional Japanese children games and sang a North Korean children's song in Japanese.

Hwang Ok Sil, bronze medalist in the women's short track speed skating 500 meters at the 1992 Albertville Olympics, returned the favor and entertained the children with the original version of the Korean song.

(Kyodo News)

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Copyright 1998 The Shinano Mainichi Shimbun