North Korea and South Korea could share a four-man sled to test conditions before bobsleigh competition starts at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games ©Getty Images

North Korea and South Korea could share a four-man sled to test conditions before bobsleigh competition starts at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

USA Bobsled and Skeleton chief executive Darrin Steele, a two-time Olympian, has told the Associated Press it "looks like it could happen".

Both he and International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) President Ivo Ferriani, the Italian International Olympic Committee (IOC) member who first presented the idea, would train the team - made up of two North Koreans and two South Koreans - prior to the four-man event.

The involvement of Steele, an American, comes at a time of escalating tension between the United States and North Korea over the latter's nuclear weapons programme.

Talks over the plans are expected in the coming week at the IOC's headquarters in Lausanne.

The development comes on the back of South Korea's Vice Sports Minister Roh Tae-kang confirming the country has proposed a combined ice hockey team and a joint parade at the Opening Ceremony of Pyeongchang 2018.

insidethegames exclusively revealed last week that a joint Korean ice hockey team was among the motions due to be discussed at a four-party meeting on North Korea's participation at the Winter Olympics on Saturday (January 20).

IBSF President Ivo Ferriani initially presented the idea of North Korea and South Korea sharing a four-man sled at Pyeongchang 2018 ©Getty Images
IBSF President Ivo Ferriani initially presented the idea of North Korea and South Korea sharing a four-man sled at Pyeongchang 2018 ©Getty Images

The two countries marching together at the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics on February 9 was also thought to be under consideration and Roh has confirmed South Korea has proposed it.

North Korea and South Korea have previously competed together under the unification flag in 1991 when they played as a single team in the World Table Tennis Championships in Chiba, Japan and the World Youth Football Championship in Lisbon, Portugal.

They marched together at the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Summer Olympics, and at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics, but more recent attempts at joining forces have proved unsuccessful.

North Korea has not yet responded to the plan from South Korea but it is likely it will be raised if the two countries hold talks in Panmunjom this week.

South Korea has proposed staging the talks in Panmunjeom, located in the demilitarised zone which is also known as the Joint Security Area, on Tuesday (January 16), to continue the dialogue on North Korean participation at Pyeongchang 2018.

It is hoped the meeting will continue to ease the tensions between the two countries after their first high-level talks in over two years resulted in North Korea confirming they would send a delegation to the Games.

Pyeongchang 2018 is due to run from February 9 to 25.