Japanese media are reporting that North Korea's IOC representative has said that his country is likely to participate in figure skating in next month's Winter Olympics in South Korea.

The reports said that Chang Ung told reporters at Beijing airport on Saturday that a North Korean figure skating pair that has qualified for the games will probably go.

Citing unnamed sources, Japan's Kyodo News service and broadcaster NHK said that Chang was headed to Switzerland, where he could meet with International Olympic Committee officials.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offered to send a delegation to the Olympics in Pyeongchang in a New Year's speech. North and South Korea have agreed to discuss the Olympics in rare talks at the border starting Tuesday.