North and South Korea to march together

[sinless69uk]

At least the world is safe till 25February I wonder who will light the cauldron Kim Yu-Na or Kim Jong -Un.

 

[sjchilly]

How about a North/South team for the figure skating team event?

 

[millie]

At least the world is safe till 25February I wonder who will light the cauldron Kim Yu-Na or Kim Jong -Un.

Anyone other than Donald.... oh my,please stay away....

 

[TontoK]

Amazing!! I had dreamed the possibility Yuna can help to reunite Korea even symbolically on some part to create change to attitudes through sheer excellence. Her black track suit used to read Korea, rather than South Korea. Able to bring the winter Olympics home is already a beautiful start... Lets hope the politicians do they job and don't squander this great opportunities, even after the Olympics.

This thing went bad the minute the politicians waded in. Here is a quote from the article that mirai_asada linked:

“South Koreans feel sorry for the athletes who have trained so hard for the Olympics and are now being kicked out of the team to make way for North Koreans."

They athletes in question are the ROK ice hockey players who will be unceremoniously dumped from their team roster to make room for DPRK athletes, who don't even know their teammates, and are suspected of being of a poor skill level. A month before the Games, and the Olympic dreams of these athletes are over. These who have worked for years for this opportunity to showcase their skills and highlight an emerging sport at their home Olympics... the goal ripped from their hands by politicians.

Sure everything is going well. Peace and harmony. And unicorns.

My experience with South Koreans is that they are quite vocal in athletic competition, and if some inept DPRK player screws up... especially as it is perceived that she "stole" her spot from a rightfully deserving ROK athlete... I wonder how those boo's raining down are going to play.

 

[TontoK]

How about a North/South team for the figure skating team event?

Wonderful idea. And since the DPRK team is qualified for the "regular event" and is part of the Korean team, there's no need for the ROK pair that had been named to the competition as a "host spot." The "host" already qualified. So they really shouldn't show up at all.

 

[ice coverage]

... And since the DPRK team is qualified for the "regular event" and is part of the Korean team, there's no need for the ROK pair that had been named to the competition as a "host spot." The "host" already qualified. So they really shouldn't show up at all.

Not so fast.

I will be very happy for Ryom/Kim to take part.

Meanwhile, you do not get to decide whether Kim/Kam also compete or not.
That is something for the IOC/ISU to work out. The decision is way above your pay grade or mine.

 

[TontoK]

Not so fast.

I will be very happy for Ryom/Kim to take part.

Meanwhile, you do not get to decide whether Kim/Kam also compete or not.
That is something for the IOC/ISU to work out. The decision is way above your pay grade or mine.

I was being snide,. I'm certain that yet another sporting rule will be tossed out the window to allow both to compete.

But, technically, if they are allowed to remain as a "host spot" then that means that the North Koreans aren't REALLY co-hosts and they're not REALLY a unified team.

 

[ice coverage]

I was being snide ....

:agree: Yep. :yes:

And IMHO, unnecessarily so.

 

[Mathman]

This thing went bad the minute the politicians waded in.

The political situation is so obvious that national leaders must be embarrassed. (As if.) The objective of the United States is to isolate North Korea from the world community of nations, which will force Kim Jong Un to the negotiating table. (We can ignore the "You're short and fat" and "fire and fury" rhetoric -- this is for domestic political consumption.)

Kim Jong Un's play is to show that the US policy has failed. North Korea is in tight with with it's pal South Korea, not to mention it's other two pals, China and Russia, while even the International Olympic Committee gives its blessings. So there, you feeble-minded dotard!

 

[TontoK]

:agree: Yep. :yes:

And IMHO, unnecessarily so.

Fair enough. I'll accept the criticism. But you should read the article that mirai_asada linked above. This whole thing is not playing very well in ROK. People don't like it.

If you follow Olympic social media chatter from South Korea, the story becomes very clear, very soon.

They want their own team, with their own athletes, and they want to march under their own flag.

The people see this is a last minute attempt by Kim to steal their glory. All this "unity" business is MUCH more popular in the West than it is among the Korean people.

 

[TontoK]

The political situation is so obvious that national leaders must be embarrassed. (As if.) The objective of the United States is to isolate North Korea from the world community of nations, which will force Kim Jong Un to the negotiating table. (We can ignore the "You're short and fat" and "fire and fury" rhetoric -- this is for domestic political consumption.)

Kim Jong Un's play is to show that the US policy has failed. North Korea is in tight with with it's pal South Korea, not to mention it's other two pals, China and Russia, while even the International Olympic Committee gives its blessings. So there, you feeble-minded dotard!

Meanwhile, the South Korean President is crediting Donald Trump with applying the pressure required to bring North Korea to talks. So who knows.

There used to be a time, forgotten now I suppose, when right-thinking fans didn't WANT the Olympics embroiled in politics.

I miss those days.

 

[OS]

This thing went bad the minute the politicians waded in. Here is a quote from the article that mirai_asada linked:

“South Koreans feel sorry for the athletes who have trained so hard for the Olympics and are now being kicked out of the team to make way for North Koreans."

They athletes in question are the ROK ice hockey players who will be unceremoniously dumped from their team roster to make room for DPRK athletes, who don't even know their teammates, and are suspected of being of a poor skill level. A month before the Games, and the Olympic dreams of these athletes are over. These who have worked for years for this opportunity to showcase their skills and highlight an emerging sport at their home Olympics... the goal ripped from their hands by politicians.

Sure everything is going well. Peace and harmony. And unicorns.

My experience with South Koreans is that they are quite vocal in athletic competition and if some inept DPRK player screws up... especially as it is perceived that she "stole" her spot from a rightfully deserving ROK athlete... I wonder how those boo's raining down are going to play.

Bit confused, I thought it is just to invite N.Korea to participate fully in the Olympics games, and marching in together. I wasn't aware they will be playing as the same ice hockey team. It makes no sense at all from a team strategy or morale perspective unless they have been training for 4 years team building together lead up to the Olympic experience/journey, rather than simply put together at last minute like some political ploy that has nothing to do with the Olympic spirit.

Politicians are supposed to be smart, take advantage of opportunities for progressive forward thinking ideas, ease tensions not to stroke them... but then we do live in the Trump times... completely bizarre and mind-boggling. Sport is a sport... seems silly now.

 

[TontoK]

Bit confused, I wasn't aware they will be playing as the same ice hockey team but as separate team, it makes no sense at all from a team strategy perspective. Politicians is suppose to ease tensions not to stroke them... but then we do live in the Trump times... completely bizarre and mind boggling. Sport is sport... this is silly now.

If the rules were applied equally and without favor (a level playing field, if you will) DPRK would not be allowed to participate at all. They failed to meet any of the application deadlines or other guidelines.

The figure skating pair are the only athletes from the North who qualified for the Olympics on merit. If the rules were to be broken, then allowing them (and only them) to compete, under their own flag, would be less unreasonable and divisive to the Korean people than the path that has been chosen.

 

[OS]

If the rules were applied equally and without favor (a level playing field, if you will) DPRK would not be allowed to participate at all. They failed to meet any of the application deadlines or other guidelines.

The figure skating pair are the only athletes from the North who qualified for the Olympics on merit. If the rules were to be broken, then allowing them (and only them) to compete, under their own flag, would be less unreasonable and divisive to the Korean people than the path that has been chosen.

If such is the plan, then they really lacked tact, sensitivity, careful consideration and execution if the athletes never agreed to it, persuaded and were simply informed... sorry your dream died because we want some photo ops. :eeking:

 

[Mathman]

Meanwhile, the South Korean President is crediting Donald Trump with applying the pressure required to bring North Korea to talks. So who knows.

Donald must be stroked. Look to actions, not words.

There used to be a time, forgotten now I suppose, when right-thinking fans didn't WANT the Olympics embroiled in politics.

I, for one, do not remember a time when the Olympics was free of politics. Certainly not at any time during the Cold War between Russia and the United States, nor the time spanning the two world wars. That is why the Olympics is, to me, the least interesting of the major figure skating competitions. (Although the time the archer lit the Olympic cauldron with a flaming arrow -- that was pretty cool. )

 

[ice coverage]

As for figure skating:

When Ryom/Kim worked with Marcotte in Montreal, Kim/Kam were their training mates. Plus long before, the two pairs already appeared to be on friendly terms.

No matter what happens, I don't think it is overly optimistic to expect no personal animosity btwn the two pairs.​

 

[TontoK]

Donald must be stroked. Look to actions, not words.



I, for one, do not remember a time when the Olympics was free of politics. Certainly not at any time during the Cold War between Russia and the United States, nor the time spanning the two world wars. That is why the Olympics is, to me, the least interesting of the major figure skating competitions. (Although the time the archer lit the Olympic cauldron with a flaming arrow -- that was pretty cool. )

Yeah, there was the Olympic summer boycott in '76 by the Africans, then the '80 boycott by the Western bloc, then the '84 boycott by the Eastern bloc... not to mention all the other little sideline shows in between.

But Mathman, I can't give up on the Olympics. I'm still chasing that high I got as a young boy in 1976, mesmerized with my family as we huddled around a small black and white television, and marveled at Dorothy Hamill (we cheered like she was family) and John Curry and Irina Rodnina - who even my rabidly anti-communist father liked.

Forty years later, and I still want to experience that thrill again. Maybe this will be the year!

 

[ice coverage]

Per yesterday's IOC statement, seems safe (IMO) to say that Ryom/Kim will *not* compete in the team event.

My understanding of the IOC's statement is that "unified" ROK/DPRK participation under the Korean Unification Flag is limited to the two delegations marching together at the Opening Ceremony and to the Unified Women's Ice Hockey Team:

....

· The IOC approves the request of the NOCs of ROK and DPRK to have their delegations marching together as one under the name “Korea” at the Opening Ceremony. The delegation will be led into the Olympic Stadium by the Korean Unification Flag, carried by two athletes, one from each NOC. There will be one female and one male athlete flagbearer. The delegation will wear a special uniform with the Korean Unification Flag (see Annex B). The acronym for the team will be “COR”.

· Unified Women’s Ice Hockey Team: The IOC has decided to allow the two National Olympic Committees, for the first time in their Olympic history, to form a unified team in a sport. .... The unified women's ice hockey team will be represented by the Korean Unification Flag and will compete as Korea, with the anthem being the song “Arirang”. The acronym for the team will be “COR”. In all other sports, the athletes will compete for their respective NOC in their respective uniforms.

· Figure Skating: The IOC allocated an additional quota place, after the registration deadline had expired, to the qualified figure skating pair (RYOM Tae-ok and KIM Ju-sik) from the NOC of the DPRK.

....

https://www.olympic.org/news/unifie...arch-at-olympic-winter-games-pyeongchang-2018 (Jan 20, emphasis added)​

Today's statement from the ISU makes no mention of the figure skating team event.
Regarding Ryom/Kim, it refers only to the individual pair SP.

... Thanks to the above-mentioned additional IOC allocated quota place, Ryom / Kim are now officially entered for the Pair Skating Short Program competition on February 14, 2018 which will take place in the Gangneung Ice Arena. ...

http://isu.org/news-inside-isu/145-...-prk-olympic-participation-2?templateParam=15 (Jan 21)​

 

[ice coverage]

Jan 23 article with quotes from Kyueun Kim (of Kim/Kam) re Ryom/Kim's participation in 2018 OWG:

'Friendly and kind' N. Korean skaters in Olympic spotlight

North Korea's figure skaters Ryom Tai-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik are "friendly and kind and a little bit shy", South Korea's Kim Kyueun said Tuesday ahead of their hugely anticipated Olympic appearance.

The skater is competing with her partner Alex Kam in the pairs competition against the North Koreans at the Four Continents championships in Taipei this week, where the North Korean duo have been closely guarded from journalists.

... South Korea's Kim told AFP she had spoken to the pair and admired their confident skating style.

"They are very friendly and kind and a little bit shy," she said, adding that she had chatted to the North's Ryom in the locker room at the tournament. The two young women are both 18.

She wished them the best ahead of the Games and said it would be a "very good experience" for them.

"I think usually it's very hard for North Korean people to come to South Korea, so I think it's very special that they are coming. We welcome the athletes," she said. ...

https://www.afp.com/en/news/722/friendly-and-kind-n-korean-skaters-olympic-spotlight-doc-xk52y3 (Jan 23)​

(Article was published before Kim/Kam's withdrawal from Four Continents.)

 

[charlotte14]

So will NK pair compete in team event as an united team with SK skaters?