North Korea Media Raises Olympics Boycott Specter

(ATR) Protests over North Korean participation at the 2018 Winter Olympics have spawned a harsh rebuke by the North Korean government, and calls for restraint by South Korea’s government.

The North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) published a statement from the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country of the DPRK regarding recent protests in South Korea. Conservative protesters burned pictures of North Korean leader Jong Un Kim and the North Korean flag.

"Far from making a deep bow to the fellow countrymen for their sincere efforts for the successful Olympics, the conservative group resorted to all sorts of slandering and committed such shuddering acts in the eyes of the delegation of the DPRK," the statement to KCNA read. "They are a despicable group of gangsters in human form."

The protests took place as a delegation of North Korean envoys was scouting locations for two concerts by a 140-piece art troupe during the Olympics. The troupe is just one of a number of groups that will perform on the sidelines of PyeongChang 2018. South Korean media previously estimated the total size of the North Korean delegation could exceed 700 people.

Later in the statement authorities implied that such protests could trigger a boycott from the North Korean delegation to the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics. The KCNA report said it was "deplorable" and efforts to make a peaceful Olympics were "being mocked and dark clouds lay low over the prospect of the Olympics" by the South Koreans.

"If the north-south agreement and schedules for the DPRK's participation in the Olympics are cancelled due to the confrontational act of the conservative riff-raffs keen on spouting vituperation and committing provocative acts against the fellow countrymen, the blame will wholly rest with the conservative group and the south Korean authorities," the statement said.

North Korea’s blustery reaction drew a response from the Jae In Moon administration to Yonhap. An official from the administration told the news agency that it would urge the public to treat all countries going to the Games with respect.

"North Korea too is a participating country and we ought to respect it as we would respect all the others," a ranking official was quoted as saying.

Outside of the statement there has been no indication that North Korea would boycott the Games. Last week North Korea, South Korea and the IOC agreed on a framework for an inter-Korean team at PyeongChang’s ceremonies and in women’s ice hockey. It will be the first joint-Korean team to compete internationally since 1991 and the first in Olympic competition.

North and South Korea also agreed to dates for the 140-person art troupe during the Olympics period. The Samjiyon Orchestra will perform on Feb. 8 in Gangneung, and Feb. 11 in Seoul before departing back to North Korea, according to Yonhap. The troupe will travel by train on Feb. 6 into South Korea and depart on Feb. 12.

IOC: Solidarity Payments in Line with UN Sanctions

The IOC confirmed to Around the Rings it will provide assistance to accredited individuals of the North Korean delegation travelling to PyeongChang while not violating any existing sanctions.

"Absolutely everything we do will be in conformity with UN Sanctions," an IOC spokesperson said to ATR.

The IOC previously confirmed that North Korea would be receiving Olympic Solidarity assistance for travelling to the Games and for uniforms. How those payments would be used and to whom they may extend to was not disclosed.

"It has been agreed that Olympic Solidarity will support financially this initiative but only for the accredited DPRK delegation," the spokesperson added. "This is the same treatment as for any other NOC participating at the Olympic Games - all participating NOCs are entitled to a financial assistance for travel cost, accommodation and logistics."

Written by Aaron Bauer

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