Archers from North Korea are scheduled to train in South Korea this summer in their preparations for the Asian Games to be held south of the border, officials here said on Tuesday.

According to the Korea Archery Association in Seoul, the North Koreans are set to arrive in Incheon, the host of the Asian Games located west of the capital city, in early August and train for about two weeks.

The association said the North Koreans will be the beneficiaries of a joint program by the Asian Games organizers and the Olympic Council of Asia to support athletes from underdeveloped nations with their training.

“I heard that about 16 or 17 athletes and coaches will first train in China and then arrive here,” an official with the South Korean archery governing body said. “We don’t yet have details of the North Koreans’ plans, but our national team should be prepared for possible joint training programs.”

Despite lingering tensions on the divided Korean Peninsula, archers from the two nations have been on good terms, the official explained.

“Whenever we’ve run into North Korean archers at international events, we’ve often exchanged information on other teams and offered them technical advice,” the official added. (Yonhap)