North Korean Table Tennis Players Face Scrutiny for Olympic Selfie with South Korean Rivals

A rare moment of camaraderie at the Paris Olympics has reportedly landed two North Korean table tennis players in hot water back home. Kim Kum-yong and Ri Jong-sik, who posed for a selfie with their South Korean rivals after winning medals, are now facing “ideological scrutiny” and could face punishment for their actions.

The selfie, taken on the podium at the South Paris Arena after the mixed doubles event, captured Kim and Ri smiling alongside South Korean players Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin. The photo, which also featured the Chinese gold medallists Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, quickly went viral, earning hundreds of thousands of likes on social media and being named one of the top 12 moments of sportsmanship at the Olympics by People magazine.

However, the positive reception outside North Korea stands in stark contrast to the reaction within the isolated nation. According to the Daily NK, a Seoul-based website focused on North Korea, the athletes have been subjected to a month-long “ideological scrubbing” since returning home in mid-August. This process, reportedly standard for North Korean athletes exposed to life outside their country, involves a thorough review of their conduct and attitudes during the competition.

The North Korean regime, which had warned its athletes not to interact with competitors from other countries, including South Korea, reportedly criticized Kim and Ri for “grinning” in the photo with athletes from a nation it considers its “number one enemy.” The selfie was taken at a time of heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula, with recent military exercises involving South Korea, the U.S., and Japan drawing protests from Pyongyang.

The future for Kim and Ri remains uncertain. According to The Korea Times, any potential punishment could depend on how much remorse they show during the final stages of the ideological review, which includes self-reflection sessions where athletes are expected to criticize inappropriate behavior among their teammates and reflect on their own actions.

Human Rights Watch condemned the reports, stating that they “demonstrate the North Korean government’s efforts to control behavior beyond its borders.” The organization called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to protect athletes from harassment and abuse, as outlined in the Olympic Charter. “North Korean athletes should not fear retribution for actions at the Games, not least when their actions embody the values of respect and friendship, on which the Olympic movement is built,” Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

While Kim and Ri’s silver medal performance earned them international praise, other North Korean athletes have not been so fortunate. The Daily NK cited the case of the North Korean football team, who were reportedly punished after a dismal performance at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where they lost all three of their group stage matches. The players were allegedly subjected to a six-hour session of public criticism, while their coach was forced to work on a construction site as punishment.

As the world watches the unfolding situation, the selfie that momentarily bridged the divide between North and South Korea now serves as a stark reminder of the harsh realities faced by athletes under repressive regimes.

 

 

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