North Korea’s table-tennis silver medalists are facing potential disciplinary action for their cheerful interactions with competitors at the Paris Olympics. Kim Kum-yong and his partner Ri Jong-sik are under scrutiny after being photographed smiling and posing with athletes from South Korea, an adversary nation, as well as with the gold medalists from China.
Daily NK, a South Korean news outlet specializing in North Korean affairs, reported that table tennis athletes Ri Jong-sik and Kim Kum-yong were ‘negatively evaluated’ due to their selfies smiling alongside South Korean athletes at the medal ceremony.
The image, which went viral worldwide for its unexpected display of camaraderie between athletes from rival nations, has not been well-received back in North Korea.
Upon their return to North Korea on August 15, the table-tennis team has been subjected to a month-long “cleanse” intended to purge any influence of “non-socialist” culture. This process, according to the Daily NK, involves a rigorous three-stage “ideological assessment” by the North Korean Central Communist Party, the Ministry of Sports, as well as their own sporting organizations.
North Korean athletes were reportedly given “special instructions” not to interact with South Koreans or other foreign athletes at the Olympics, or face consequences. If the players have contradicted the Central Party’s directives, they could be penalized, though the punishment remains unclear.
Historically, North Korean athletes have faced harsh repercussions for perceived missteps. After their football team failed to score at the 2010 World Cup, the players endured a six-hour public reprimand, and their coach was sent to work in construction.
