NK at PyeongChang – politics overshadow sports

The North Korean athletes at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics have finished their scheduled events, while political issues
are getting more attention than their athleticism during their visit to South Korea.

North Korea’s cheerleading squad roots for competitors during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics figure skating pair short program at the Gangneung Ice Arena, Feb. 14. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

As of the men’s alpine skiing slalom on Thursday, 22 North Korean athletes in five sports have completed
their participation at the PyeongChang Games.

Two competed in the men’s short track speed skating, six in alpine and cross-country skiing,
two in figure skating and 12 on the South-North women’s joint ice hockey team.

None of the 22 athletes qualified for the PyeongChang Games through world championships,
world cups or other Olympic-qualifying tournaments. Instead, the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) allowed them in through a quota, a form of wild card.

Only the figure skating pair of Ryom Tae-ok and Kim Ju-sik had secured a spot at the PyeongChang Games,
but as they did not register, they lost it.

As their participation was decided less than a month before the Games started, it was widely expected their performances
at PyeongChang would not match those who made it into the Games through conventional qualifying competitions.

As expected, the North Koreans were far from reaping good results at the Games.

The best performance for North Korea at PyeongChang was the 13th-place finish in figure skating of the Ryom-Kim pair.

They won a combined 193.63 points in pair skating, logging 69.40 in the short program and 124.23 in the free program.
It was the pair’s personal high and the highest finish by a North Korean figure skating pair at the Olympics.

In alpine skiing, Choe Myong-gwang and Kang Song-il competed in the men’s slalom and giant slalom,
while Kim Ryon-hyang raced in the women’s slalom and giant slalom.

In giant slalom, Choe finished 75th and Kang finished 74th out of 75 skiers, and Kim was disqualified in the women’s event.
They also finished near the bottom on the leader board for slalom races.

In cross-country skiing, Han Chun-gyong and Park Il-chol placed 101st and 107th out of 116 skiers who finished the men’s 15km free,
while Ri Yong-gum placed 89th out of 90 in the women’s 10km free.

In short track speed skating, Jong Kwang-bom and Choe Un-song each competed in the men’s 500m and 1,500m.

Choe, who suffered a major injury before the Games, could not qualify for the quarterfinals. Jong was penalized in his heat,
as he held onto a Japanese skater after he fell.

Grabbing the most attention were the women’s ice hockey players, who joined the South Korean team which became Team Korea.

Of the North Korean hockey players, five made it into the 22-women roster before each game. Kim Un-hyang appeared
in all five games Team Korea played, while Hwang Chung-gum played in four games. Team Korea lost all five games they played.

Though they did not make any podiums, the North Korean athletes, staff, politicians and cheerleading troupe received
greater attention than the host country of South Korea, with their slightest movements, whereabouts and words making headlines.

With the South Korean government using the Games to help thaw inter-Korean relations, with President Moon Jae-in calling
it the “Peace Olympics,” both North and South made efforts to show the world the Games brought Korea together.

During the Games, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister Kim Yo-jong visited the opening ceremony
as a special envoy and Moon was invited to visit Pyongyang.

The North’s cheerleading squad toured the venues and its art troupe performed in Gangneung and Seoul.

Reporters from all across the world followed the North Koreans, writing articles even about what they ate for breakfast.

Some officials even suggested the unified hockey team should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Some critics claimed political efforts stole the show, calling the Games the “Pyongyang Olympics
,” but others also observed how the North’s participation helped grab global attention.

Source:koreatimes.co.kr