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© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Why is North Korea skipping the Tokyo Olympics?
By HYUNG-JIN KIM SEOUL, South Korea©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
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CaptDingleheimer
I'd guess they wouldn't want to go home with zero medals, after getting schooled 27-0 by Tiddleywinksistan in badminton.
snowymountainhell
Simplified answer? Here’s a reason why they’re not ‘playing ball’:
“Politics - Japan to extend ban on all trade with N Korea by 2 years” - Apr. 6 1pm Headline
Gorramcowboy
But does anyone really care if they skipped out? ... (crickets)
BackpackingNepal
If New Zealand had made such decison at first, people support them but since it's NK which truly cares about health of not just their people but also the rest of the people like you but same people are bashing them. Not everything is negative about them. Such negative sheeps this generation and even going lower.
theFu
The North Korean Diving team is world class - almost like they have all Chinese coaches, which I think they do. I wouldn't be surprised to learn they train in China.
There is little reason for the US or Western-aligned countries to change the sanctions in any way. It won't help the NK people and will just provide more money for dictator Lil' Kim and his general followers.
South Korea has complete blinders when it comes to NK. All they see are grandparents, cousins, and other relatives. The softness from them and other countries is preventing the sanctions from having the leaders overthrown - though I don't know how to get Asian peoples to overthrow their govt. Has that other worked anywhere? I'm ignorant.
kohakuebisu
At a normal Olympics, every Japanese tv channel will fill a 10 minute slot talking about what is effectively the North Korean cheerleading team, the group of female members of the NK military who sit in the stands. The tv always talks about how beautiful they are.
Since no foreign fans are allowed, presumably they wouldn't have come even if NK were appearing.
geronimo2006
I suspect NK will use the Olympics as an opportunity to get attention/concessions by firing off missiles leading up to the games. Citing health concerns somehow doesn't quite fit.
Richard Gallagher
NK. Had a very fine women's soccer team - which was supposedly struck by lightning (the entire team) and ingested deer antler powder, which according to NK, mimics PEDs. As such, were banned from competition after testing positive for PEDs and banned in 2011 & 2015. Apparently, when NK athletes underperform in world tournaments, as punishment they are sent to the coal mines. Not attending the Olympics may be a good thing for their future health. It is unfortunate, they seemed to have a talent for soccer and other sports.
However, Covid-19 and relations with Japan & the USA factor in the decision.
BlackFlagCitizen
As we get closer to the Olympics, and the world sees Japan is still fiddling around with vaccinations, looking for volunteers and medical staff necessary to host such an event, and not having any real plan to ensure the spread of Covid can be minimized, hopefully other countries will begin to pull out.
Ed Rowe
Does anyone really think they're skipping it over concerns for their athletes? that's funny.. Didn't they torture they're soccer team after they lost a match??
Pukey2
I think you're thinking of Iraq and Saddam Hussein's son.
shogun36
and they won't be the last (or only).