A spokesman for the formerly rival body confirmed to insidethegames today that they have accepted an invitation from the WTF to appear at the South Korean taekwondowon venue.

This is considered particularly symbolic given the recent upsurge in political tensions between North and South Korea. 

A demonstration team consisting of athletes from Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greenland, Great Britain and the United States as well as North Korea are due to arrive in Muju on June 23.

"At a time when political tensions are high on the Korean Peninsula it is both a bit comforting and somewhat ironic that it is General Choi Hong-HI's taekwondo that gives the two Koreas something positive to work together on," said ITF spokesperson George Vitale. 

"Taekwondo is after all, Korea's greatest gift to the world and has become the most popular martial art that has received Olympic sport status.

"While both the ITF and WTF are independent international registered organisations, the two Governments of Korea, support different federations. 

"While the long history of animosity and the federations having a different focus, led to competition among, instead of cooperation between the rival groups, the last several years have seen an unprecedented spirit of cooperation.

"The political situation has at times hampered efforts to work together. 

"But this news highlights how taekwondo can and does play an important role in 'building a more peaceful world'."

Basic rules and techniques are the same across ITF and WTF competition.

The major difference is a cultural one, with ITF events geared more towards self defense while the WTF is more focused upon competitive sparring. 

Only the WTF is recognised by the International Olympic Committee but the ITF is the older body having been founded in 1966 by Choi Hong Hi in Seoul.

Following his exile from South Korea by the Park Chung-hee administration, Choi moved to Canada and established the ITF headquarters in Toronto, moving it to Vienna in 1985.

North Korea's IOC member Chang Ung was elected President of the ITF after Choi's death in 2002, but was replaced by Ri Yong-son in 2015. 

In August 2014, Choue and Chang signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing.

One year later, a 22-member ITF demonstration team including 13 North Koreans performed at the Opening Ceremony of the 2015 WTF World Championships in Chelyabinsk in Russia.

Chang, Ri, Choue and IOC President Thomas Bach have all been closely involved in negotiations for continued cooperation. 

Ri, Choue and Bach are all due to meet during next month's event in Muju.

It is now hoped that a WTF demonstration to team will perform at the ITF World Championships in Pyongyang, North Korea in September. 

No North Korean taekwondo players have ever participated in the Olympics.

It comes amid a deteriorating diplomatic situation after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un launched new missile tests, despite repeated warnings to stop.

The US announced it was set to activate a missile defence system in South Korea and tighten sanctions against North Korea.

US President Donald Trump sent a naval carrier group to patrol the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea also threatened to launch a "super-mighty preemptive strike" against what it called US aggression.

North and South Korea are still officially at war, having only signed an armistice rather than a peace treaty to halt the Korean War in 1953.

It is also hoped that North Koreans will participate at next year's Winter Olympic Games across the border in Pyeongchang.

Organising Committee chief Lee Hee-beom said last week that North Korean athletes could be granted special permission to travel through the demilitarised no-go zone to reach the South Korean County.

No movement is usually allowed across the border.

Lee suggested that support staff and spectators would still have to travel by boat.