The divided Korean peninsula is taking another tentative step toward peace. Once again, table tennis is serving as the icebreaker. South and North Korea have lived in an awkward cold war since the end of open hostilities in the Korean War in 1953. The absence of an official peace peace treaty has left the two nations in a state of unresolved conflict. While the two Koreas have soldiered on for three generations under a cloud of inherited distrust for their neighbors across the 38th parallel, glimmers of hope for reconciliation continue to emerge. The world of sport has proven to be a rich source of such opportunities. The first unified Korean team to partake in international competition was at the 1991 World Table Tennis Championships in Chiba, Japan. 2018 proved to be another banner year in athletic diplomacy, with unified Korean teams participating in the Winter Olympics, World Table Tennis Championships, FIFA World Youth Championship, Asian Games, Asian Para Games, and even the World Men's Handball Tournament. The increased number of sports fielding unified teams is an unmistakable sign of progress. Table tennis, however, remains at the vanguard. For example, Jang Woo-jin of South Korea and Cha Hyo-sim of North Korea won the mixed doubles title at the ITTF Korea Open in July and finished second at December's ITTF World Tour Grand Finals. Needless to say, there is increased diplomatic activity between the two nations. On the heels of such a successful year, the Korea Table Tennis Association (KTTA) aims to capture this momentum and carry it to the next Olympiad. This Friday, the KTTA will commence internal discussions regarding the possibility of fielding a united Korean table tennis team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 2004 Olympic gold medalist Ryu Seung-min, also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), will chair the meeting. There are logistical hurdles, such as the finite number of table tennis players that each country is allowed to send to the Olympics. Nonetheless, excitement for the effort is building. The IOC is in talks with other Korean sports associations to assess the potential for more unified teams at the Olympics. For three generations, Koreans have borne the heavy cost of an unending conflict. Now, thanks the willingness of the Korean people to work together for a common goal, there is finally genuine hope for peace.

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