North Korea’s official delegation, led by the Olympic Committee of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, arrived in Paris with a team of 16 athletes competing across seven sports including athletics, boxing, gymnastics, table tennis, wrestling and judo. After a hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the nation’s athletes have returned to the Summer Olympics this year, marking their eleventh appearance in the international sporting event. This is considered a significant moment for the isolated country, as it seeks to engage in sports diplomacy globally.

NORTH KOREA’S PAST ABSENCE

Pyongyang’s decision to miss the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics (which was postponed to 2021) sent shockwaves through the international sporting community. While officials cited Covid-19 concerns, North Korea has used major sporting events as a diplomatic tool for many years, thus by skipping the Tokyo Games, they signaled their displeasure and perhaps sought to gain leverage in nuclear talks with the United States. After the North failed to send a team to Tokyo, the International Olympic Committee (“IOC”) suspended North Korea from the Beijing 2022 Winter Games. IOC’s president, Thomas Bach, also announced that the North Korean Olympic Committee would not receive financial aid during the suspension and would forfeit money it was due from previous Olympics. While the exact amount remained undisclosed, it could be substantial, given the stringent international sanctions in place.

Not only would skipping both games underscore the geopolitical complexities surrounding North Korea and highlight their isolation, for North Korean athletes, missing two consecutive Olympics would be a bitter pill to swallow. Elite athletes enjoy preferential treatment in North Korea and can receive luxury gifts such as cars or even apartments as rewards for winning at the Olympics. Sporting champions were reportedly given “national hero status” upon their return and received “big attention from our people,” according to North Korean weightlifting coach, Kim Kwang-dok. Therefore, absence from these international events would deny athletes the rare opportunity to seek a better life for themselves and their families, especially considering the country’s substandard living conditions and chronic food shortages.

THE CONTENDERS

North Korea’s Culture and Sports Minister, Kim Il-guk, joined as part of the delegation to Paris this year. 

Athletics

In athletics, North Korea’s sole track and field athlete, Han Il-ryong, is expected to compete in the men’s marathon. 

Boxing

Two boxers, Pang Chol-mi (women’s bantamweight) and Won Ung-yong (women’s lightweight), also secured their spots in the Paris Games after advancing to the semifinals at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. This would mark 12 years since the DPRK team has gained a place in the Olympic Games’ boxing events. The team holds an Olympic boxing record of two gold, three silver and three bronze medals between 1972 and 2012, and is considered one of the best Asian teams on this list.

Judo and Table Tennis

Mun Song-hui (women’s middleweight) will represent North Korea in judo, while three table tennis players, Pyon Song-gyong, Ri Jong-sik and Kim Kum-yong, have all gained their tickets to Paris in the 2024 International Table Tennis Federation World Mixed Doubles.

NORTH AND SOUTH KOREAN GYMNASTS POSE FOR VIRAL SELFIE

As the Paris Olympics kicks off, memories of South Korean gymnast, Lee Eun-ju, and North Korean gymnast, Hong Un-jong, posing for a selfie during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games continue to linger. In a heartwarming moment during the games when Lee and Hong defied decades of hostility and took a smiling selfie together, the photo’s impact of a seemingly simple act resonated far beyond the gymnastics arena. This picture went viral on the internet and was hailed as a representation of the Olympic spirit, marking a brief pause in the ongoing tension between their nations. As their selfie stands as a powerful symbol of unity today, the world remains hopeful that the Paris Olympic Games can bridge gaps and foster friendship between the two Koreas that are technically still at war.