ArirangNews

On the first day of their visit, the North Korean authorities greeted the South Korean delegation with a warm welcoming dinner.
The North's sports minister said... the basketball friendlies will further boost the Korean people's yearning for reunification.
Oh Jung-hee has more.
The South Koreans visiting Pyongyang for the upcoming inter-Korean basketball games... were greeted with a warm welcome from the get-go.
On Tuesday evening, a welcoming dinner was held at Okryugwan, a restaurant in Pyongyang famous for its cold noodles.
In the case of the South Korean art troupe's visit to Pyongyang in April,... the dinner event did not happen on the first day... but on the last day.

Seoul's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon and a few other government officials... plus the South Korean basketball players were invited.
North Korea's sports minister Kim Il-guk was present with his vice minister, the vice-head of Pyongyang's inter-Korean affairs committee... and the North's basketball players.
The guests were treated to a traditional Korean course meal with Pyongyang-style cold noodles at the end.

"We deliver warm brotherly love from our athletes and the citizens of Pyongyang. In February and April, artists from the North and the South made exchange visits and showed that our people are inextricably one. Today's unification basketball games will further boost our yearning for unification.

"It's been 15 years, and I know some of our South and North Korean coaches actually played in the last basketball games back in 2003. They'll be impressed more than anyone here. The athletes who'll be playing together for the first time will be touched as well. The fact South and North Korea are together means a lot more than who wins or loses."

Over 100 South Koreans arrived in the North Korean capital earlier on Tuesday... for the inter-Korean basketball games, which were agreed upon at sports talks in June.
It's believed Seoul's unification minister will meet with various senior figures in Pyongyang, and possibly leader Kim Jong-un as well.
But it's unclear whether Kim -- who's known for his love of basketball -- will watch the games himself.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.