Background Information
North Korea, officially the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country located in the northern part of the Korean peninsula. As a nation, North Korea has an unusual relationship with the Winter Olympics. Until 2018, North Korea had never won a medal at a Winter Olympics. This changed at the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, when North Korean skaters Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-sik won a bronze medal in ice skating, the country’s first-ever Winter Olympics gold medal. Since then, North Korea has started to become more involved in the Olympic Games.
Effects on Diplomacy
The Winter Olympics has helped to establish better diplomatic relations between North and South Korea. During the 2018 Games, North Korea sent its own delegation to attend, which included athletes, officials, and even the country’s leader Kim Jong-un, who was the first North Korean leader to visit South Korea in more than 10 years. The diplomatic impact of North Korea’s participation in the Winter Olympics was significant, with Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in signing an agreement to seek a permanent peace settlement between North and South Korea.
Setting New Milestones
North Korea is setting new milestones in Winter Olympics competition. In the 2020 Olympics, North Korea held the first joint team with South Korea. The athletes made history by competing together in a show of shared Korean patriotism, despite deep political tensions between the two countries. North Korean athletes have also achieved success in individual events, with figure skater Hwang Un-hyang becoming the first North Korean to medal in an individual event at the Winter Olympics, winning the silver medal in the women’s 500m short track speed skating. North Korean figure skaters Cha Tae-Eun and Lim Su-Jeong also achieved historic results in the pairs figure skating event, coming in 5th place and setting a record as the highest-ranked Korean pair ever.
Challenges Facing North Korea
North Korea has faced several challenges in its efforts to compete in the Winter Olympics. Despite the historic successes at the 2018 Games, North Korean athletes have often failed to qualify for individual events, with the sports ministry reporting that fewer than one in five North Korean athletes were able to meet the qualifying standards. North Korea has also suffered financially from its involvement in the Winter Olympics, having to lift economic sanctions and make costly investments in athletes and equipment in order to participate.
Effects of International Sanctions
North Korea’s involvement in the Winter Olympics has been hampered by international sanctions imposed by the United Nations in response to the country’s nuclear program. The sanctions have severely affected North Korea’s ability to participate in the Games, as well as its ability to provide training for its athletes and resources for its teams. The sanctions have also hindered North Korea’s efforts to develop a competitive sports program, as the country is not able to access overseas training facilities or technological equipment needed to improve its performance.
The Future of North Korea at The Winter Olympics
As the international sanctions remain in effect, North Korea’s participation in the Winter Olympics is likely to remain limited. However, the country’s participation in the Olympics may still be beneficial in furthering diplomatic ties with its neighbor. It is also likely that North Korea will continue to receive support and attention in the international media if it has success in individual events or makes historic achievements at the Games.
The Impact of Recent Political Developments on North Korean Participation
Recent political developments–including the summit between the leaders of North and South Korea and the renewed diplomatic ties between the two countries–have had a positive effect on North Korea’s ability to participate in the Winter Olympics. With the renewed diplomatic ties, North Korea has been able to more easily access the resources it needs to prepare its athletes for the Games. Furthermore, the dialogue between the two countries has enabled the sharing of information and resources that can help North Korean athletes compete more successfully.
North Korea’s Qualifying Results
North Korea’s efforts to qualify for the Winter Olympics have been mixed. Despite the country’s success in the 2018 Olympics, its athletes have not been able to replicate that success in recent years. In the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, only five North Korean competitors were able to qualify in individual events, while in the 2018 Olympics the number of individual North Korean qualifiers dropped to two. However, North Korea’s performance in the 2020 Olympics has been much better, with five North Korean athletes qualifying in individual events.
The Role of National Pride in North Korean Winter Olympians
For many North Korean Winter Olympians, competing in the Olympics is more than just a sporting competition: it is an opportunity to display national pride. North Korean athletes are well aware that their performances at the Olympics will be seen by the world, and to many athletes there is a sense that they are representing the nation and seeking to showcase the country’s best athletes on the world stage.
The Impact of Politics on North Korean Performance
North Korean athletes are not only competing to represent the nation, but also to make a political statement. Every time North Korean athletes step onto the ice or snow, they are making a statement that the nation’s political stance can be seen internationally. From the perspective of North Korean officials, the participation of North Korean athletes in the Olympics is seen as an opportunity to demonstrate the power and strength of the nation and to make a statement on the world stage.
Humanitarian Aid Funding
The participation of North Korea in the Winter Olympics has also resulted in increased international funding for humanitarian aid. In recent years, several major international aid organizations have provided North Korea with financial support in order to improve the country’s infrastructure and to provide medical supplies and food aid to those in need. In addition, the United Nations has allocated funds to provide aid to North Koreans affected by the UN sanctions, with much of the funding coming from countries sponsoring North Korean athletes in the Olympics.
