| <No.714> |
| PyeongChang Olympics Puts Spotlight on North Korea |
|
At the PyeongChang Olympics, North and South Korea will march together under a special unified flag during the opening ceremonies.
They will also field a unified women’s ice hockey team.
An all-female North Korean cheering squad, known as its "army of beauties," will be on hand to support athletes from both countries.
And the North Korean Samjiyon Band orchestra and other artists will perform in both the PyeongChang region and Seoul.
For South Korean President Moon Jae-in, this inter-Korean Olympic cooperation is part of a broader diplomatic initiative to peacefully resolve the North Korean nuclear standoff.
"We have to lead North Korea into a dialogue of denuclearization as well, which will also improve inter-Korean relationships."
However, in South Korea there is increasing opposition to Moon’s Olympic engagement that conservatives see as unilateral concessions to the repressive North.
The U.S. also views the North’s Olympic cooperation as an attempt to improve its threatening image and weaken international support for tough international sanctions.
"I think this is a distraction.
I think this is doing what North Korea has always done, which is when things get hot, start talking."
U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed for a "maximum pressure" policy, emphasizing tougher economic sanctions and possible military action, to stop the North from developing long-range nuclear missiles that can target the U.S. mainland.
The U.S. and South Korea have suspended joint military exercises for the Olympics but indicated they would resume soon after the games, despite a North Korean demand to further suspend the drills to support improving inter-Korean relations.
Brian Padden, VOA News, Seoul |
|
|
|
