In what has been described as a "show of taekwondo unity and sportive goodwill", a North Korean demonstration team from the ITF performed alongside the World Taekwondo Demonstration Team during the Opening Ceremony of the 2017 World Taekwondo Championships here on Saturday (June 24), and is due to do so again at the Closing Ceremony this Friday (June 30).

Choue told insidethegames that a "more detailed conversation" will be held at World Taekwondo's headquarters in Seoul over a reciprocal visit to the ITF World Championships in North Korea's capital Pyongyang in September.

He also revealed that taekwondo’s newly-approved Grand Slam Champions’ Series, aimed at professionalising and upgrading the sport’s commercial appeal and media profile, will be open to ITF athletes.

"This kind of exchange programme between two sports organisations can help and can be expanded in many different ways," he said.

"For instance, we are planning to have Grand Slam events starting from next year.

"It’s a professional taekwondo championships so we are open to ITF athletes joining."

Choue went onto say that the Series could be open to athletes from all martial arts, including karate, Ultimate Fighting Championship, wushu and kung fu.

"As long the athletes follow our competition rules and regulations, it’s most welcome," he added.

World Taekwondo is currently the only taekwondo body recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

But the ITF, led by North Korean Ri, is the older body having been founded in 1966 by Choi Hong Hi in Seoul.

Basic rules and techniques are the same across ITF and World Taekwondo competition.

The major difference is a cultural one, with ITF events geared more towards self-defence and World Taekwondo's more focused upon competitive sparring.

Following his exile from South Korea by the Park Chung-hee administration, Choi moved to Canada and established the ITF headquarters in Toronto, before moving them 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 in 2015.

In August 2014, Choue and Chang signed a Protocol of Accord during the 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 World Taekwondo Championships in Russian city Chelyabinsk.

Chang, Ri, Choue and IOC President Thomas Bach, who himself is due to visit these World Taekwondo Championships for the Closing Ceremony, have all been closely involved in negotiations for continued cooperation.

Ri, Choue and Bach are all due to meet here.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who was elected last month after a cronyism scandal led to Park Geun-hye being impeached, has pledged greater dialogue with North Korea in a bid to reduce tensions between the two nations.

Tensions have risen in recent months with the United States and North Korea trading threats as the latter nation's leader Kim Jong-un launched new missile tests despite repeated warnings to stop.

The US are activating a missile defence system in South Korea and tightened sanctions against the North in April.

"The Korean Peninsula is really a politically-difficult situation, so I think the exchanging of demonstration teams between the WTF (World Taekwondo Federation) and the ITF will, I hope, enhance the easing of tensions," Choue said.

"It can also be a starting moment for the future dialogue between North and South."

During the Opening Ceremony of the World Championships here, a banner was unveiled reading "Peace is more precious than triumph".

"That’s our motto," Choue added.

"We are continuously in support of bringing peaceful spirit to regions through our sport."