Thirty-two North Koreans, including ten athletes will come to South Korea via air on Thursday to prepare for and compete in the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

A Unification Ministry official in Seoul said on Wednesday that the North Koreans will cross the border on Thursday afternoon after joining a 45-member South Korean delegation that is returning from a two-day trip to North Korea.

A chartered airplane carrying 32 North Koreans and the South Korean delegation will depart Kalma Airport in the North Korean city of Wonsan at around 4 p.m. and arrive at Yangyang Airport in the South's eastern province of Gangwon at 5:15 p.m.

The ten North Korean athletes are three alpine skiers, three cross-country skiers, a figure skating duo and two short-track skaters. They will stay at Gangneung Olympic Village, in Gangwon Province, throughout the Winter Games period.