Two Koreas to compete as one by 2014 Games - official

North and South Korea are expected to compete as a joint team by the 2014 Winter Olympics, a top official of the South Korean city that is bidding for the games said.

The two Koreas have long tried to put together a unified team for the Olympics and have been in talks to form one for the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, but those discussions have been marred by political and other problems.

"We are planning on having a joint team by the time of the 2014 Games," said Bahng Jae-heung, secretary-general of the Pyeong-chang bid committee.

"At this time, we are taking it for granted that there will be a joint team," he told Reuters.

In September, the IOC brought officials from the two Koreas together in Switzerland to help get their talks back on track.

North Korea had suspended several co-operation projects with the South, including discussions on a joint Olympic team, in anger over Seoul's decision to suspend regular food aid after the North defied international warnings and test-fired seven missiles in July.

Bahng said the Pyeongchang bid committee does not expect to co-host events with the North if the rustic mountain town about 200 km east of Seoul wins the Games because of Olympic rules and the distance to the North.