World Baseball Softball Confederation president visits North Korea: State media

Confederation announced it approved North Korea's Baseball Association as new member

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - The President of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), Riccardo Fraccari, is visiting North Korea, state media said Sunday, without providing details.

A WBSC delegation arrived Saturday in Pyongyang and was welcomed at the airport by Park Chon-jong, vice minister of physical culture and sports, according to a report from the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

That followed an article Friday on the WBSC website that announced the confederation's executive board had approved new members: North Korea's Baseball Association and the Baseball & Softball Federation of Luxembourg.

It said all new memberships still need final approval at the WBSC Congress in Bangkok in October.

Baseball and softball are not widely popular in North Korea, according to Seoul-based Yonhap News.

During a visit to South Korea in 2014, Fraccari expressed his willingness to visit North Korea to help promote the sport.

Kaynak: