North Korean athletes who took “selfies” with South Korean athletes at the Paris Olympics are reportedly undergoing ideological scrutiny in Pyongyang. According to reports, a negative evaluation report has already been submitted, raising the possibility that these athletes may face punishment.
On August 21, Daily NK reported, citing a high-level source in Pyongyang, that the North Korean Olympic Committee delegation and athletes who participated in the Olympics have been undergoing ideological assessments since returning to Pyongyang on August 15.
North Korean athletes who compete in international events are subjected to a three-stage ideological assessment process that lasts about a month, involving the Central Party, the Ministry of Sports, and an internal review.
The athletes and officials from the North Korean Olympic Committee who participated in the 2024 Paris Olympics are expected to follow the same procedures. Daily NK explained that this process is conducted because North Korea views staying abroad as an exposure to non-socialist cultures, which they consider a form of contamination.
The ongoing assessment in Pyongyang is being conducted by the Central Party’s Department of Propaganda and Agitation, which oversees sports-related affairs as well.
The Central Party’s assessment examines and evaluates every aspect of the athletes’ conduct from the time they left until their return. If it is found that they engaged in any behavior that contradicted the Party’s directives or educational goals during the Olympics, they could face punishment.
Before leaving for the Olympics, North Korean athletes were reportedly given “special instructions not to interact with South Korean or other foreign athletes.” Any violations of this order, once confirmed, could result in punishment.
During this Olympics, Samsung Electronics provided the “Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition” for a “Victory Selfie” program, allowing medalists to take selfies on the podium. This program attracted attention when North Korean athletes took selfies with South Korean and Chinese athletes.
In particular, Ri Jong-sik and Kim Kum-yong, who won silver in mixed doubles table tennis, were noted for taking selfies with South Korea’s bronze medalists, Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin, and China’s gold medalists, Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha. Although this moment was celebrated by international media as one of the top 10 news stories of the Olympics, it could lead to punishment in North Korea.
According to sources, the report on these athletes includes criticism that they were seen “grinning” next to South Korean athletes, whom the authorities have designated as their primary adversaries. Kim Kum-yong was noted for smiling during the selfie, and Ri Jong-sik was criticized for smiling while observing athletes from other countries after stepping off the podium.
In addition to the mixed doubles table tennis players, diver Kim Mi-rae, who won a bronze medal in the women’s 10m platform event, also attracted attention for taking selfies with athletes from other countries during the medal ceremony.
However, in Kim Mi-rae’s case, she took selfies with Chinese athletes, including silver medalist Quan Hongchan and gold medalist Chen Yuxi, and reportedly avoided holding the phone herself, letting the Chinese athletes hold it instead.
Whether she will face punishment like the mixed doubles table tennis players remains to be seen. Some have speculated that she avoided holding the phone to avoid using a South Korean device.
Daily NK stated that it remains to be seen whether North Korean authorities will punish the athletes who took selfies or conclude the matter with a warning or self-reflection.
The source told Daily NK that athletes who had contact with foreign athletes, such as taking selfies, would need to strongly reflect on their actions in self-criticism sessions to avoid political and administrative punishment in the future.
BY SUYOUNG HA, YOUNGNAM KIM [ha.suyoung@joongang.co.kr]
