At the Hangzhou Asian Games, the actions of North Korean marksmen during a medal ceremony have garnered attention and raised questions about sportsmanship and diplomacy. In an intense competition, the North Korean team narrowly missed out on the gold medal in the men’s team 10m running target shooting event, settling for silver. However, their response during the medal ceremony has sparked controversy and added to the drama of the event.
During the ceremony, as the national anthem of the gold medal-winning South Korean team played, the North Korean athletes chose not to adhere to the traditional practice of turning toward the flag as a sign of respect. This departure from convention was noticeable and left observers perplexed.
Further tensions emerged during the customary group photo of all medal winners on the podium. While the bronze medalists from Indonesia joined the South Korean team on the top tier, the North Korean athletes stood apart and did not engage with their South Korean counterparts. This deliberate distancing was met with a brief but awkward pause, during which one of the South Korean athletes attempted to initiate a conversation with the North Korean team. Despite this effort, the North Korean athletes remained silent and did not acknowledge their fellow competitors to their left.
This podium controversy at the Fuyang Yinhu Sports Centre, located on the outskirts of Hangzhou, is the latest in a series of incidents involving North Korea’s participation in international sporting events. Notably, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) allowed the North Korean flag to be displayed at the Games, despite previous suspension due to non-compliance with global anti-doping regulations.
The Hangzhou Asian Games mark North Korea’s return to international multi-sport events after its absence since the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games. This absence was a result of the country’s suspension from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) until the end of 2022. As a consequence, North Korea did not participate in the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, following its failure to send a team to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
The context of the ongoing division of the Korean Peninsula, stemming from the Korean War that ended in an armistice in 1953 rather than a peace treaty, further complicates diplomatic relations and interactions between athletes from North and South Korea. These political tensions can spill over into international sporting events, impacting the atmosphere and dynamics of such competitions.
