North Korea’s national flag has been raised above the living quarters for the athletes taking part in the upcoming Winter Olympics in South Korea.

The flag began flying Thursday over the Olympic villages in the host cities of Pyeongchang and Gangneung, about 230 kilometers east of Seoul, one day after ceremonies were held marking the villages’ official opening.

The one-day delay was because of South Korea’s strict national security law that prohibits flying the North’s flag. Authorities have exempted all venues connected with the Winter Games, including the athletes’ dormitories and stadiums.

The North’s flag was raised in time to greet 10 members of the North’s Olympic squad who are scheduled to arrive in South Korea later Thursday. They will join 12 female hockey players who arrived last week to join their South Korean counterparts to train as a unified Korean team.

The surprise offer by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to send a delegation to the Pyeongchang Games during his New Year’s Day speech paved the way for restored dialogue between Pyongyang and Seoul, which had been frozen because of North Korea’s development of its nuclear and ballistic missile weapons programs in defiance of international sanctions.

The talks led to an agreement for both sides to march in the Feb. 9 opening ceremonies under a unified flag.
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