International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge announces that PyeongChang, South Korea, will host the 2018 Winter Olympics during the 123rd IOC meeting, in Durban, July 6, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

SEOUL - An Olympic official from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Wednesday the country would like to co-host the 2018 Winter Olympics with South Korea, South Korean media reported.

Jang Ung, a member of the DPRK International Olympic Committee (IOC), told Yonhap news agency in Tokyo it was "positive" for Asia to host only its third Winter Games.

When asked about the possibility of sharing some events with South Korea's Alpine town of Pyeongchang, Jang said: "I hope so."

"The political and military situations between the Koreas aren't good, and they have to be improved," said Jang, who is in Tokyo to attend the general assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia. "Otherwise, they could influence the Olympics."

Pyeongchang, some three hours drive east of Seoul, won the right to host the Games last week, succeeding at its third attempt to bring the Winter Games to South Korea for the first time.

On Monday, the South's main opposition party said it would look at how the two Koreas could co-host the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, hoping to use the Games to improve relations between the two countries.

However, South Korea rules out the possibility of co-hosting the Games with DPRK as South Korean officials played down the prospects of a combined effort.

"It's been only a week since Pyeongchang won the bid to host the Winter Olympics. At this point, there's nothing the unification ministry can say about the two Koreas co-hosting the event," ministry spokeswoman Lee Jong-ju told a news briefing.

South Korea's Olympic Committee President told the Dong-a Ilbo newspaper: "The Olympics cannot be used politically. We won the bid with difficulty.