North Korean table-tennis silver medalists, Kim Kum-yong and Ri Jong-sik, could face disciplinary action after a viral photo showed them smiling alongside South Korean and Chinese athletes at the Paris Olympics. The photo, which captured a rare moment of sportsmanship between athletes from rival nations, has drawn the ire of North Korean authorities.
Kim is reportedly under scrutiny for smiling in a victory photo next to South Korean athletes, a country considered an enemy by North Korea. Ri could also face consequences for smiling with the gold medalists from China and the bronze medalists from South Korea after stepping off the podium.
The North Korean team, upon their return on August 15, has been subjected to a month-long “cleanse” by the country’s Ministry of Sport, aimed at eradicating any influence of “non-socialist” culture they may have encountered during the games. The “cleanse” includes a three-stage ideological assessment process.
North Korean athletes were allegedly given strict instructions not to interact with South Koreans or other foreign athletes at the Olympics, with potential punishments for disobedience remaining unclear.
The incident harks back to the harsh treatment of North Korea’s football team after their poor performance in the 2010 World Cup, where they were publicly criticized and their coach was banished to construction work.