From brothers to strangers: The chilling shift in inter-Korean sports diplomacy
In short: In 2018, the two Koreas marched together as a unified team. By the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, that brotherhood had evaporated. Athletes who once played side-by-side now found themselves ignored on the podium, marking a sharp pivot in how Pyongyang views its neighbor.
The 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, served as a stark stage for a deteriorating relationship between North and South Korea. Unlike the 2018 Asian Games, where the two nations fielded joint teams and paraded together following a landmark inter-Korean summit, the 2022 atmosphere was defined by a 'chilly' lack of engagement. South Korean athletes and journalists reported that North Koreans frequently avoided customary handshakes, photo sessions, and even eye contact. During the latest tournament, South Korean women's basketball player Kang Lee Seul remarked that those she played alongside on a 2018 combined squad completely bypassed her.
This shift is rooted in a fundamental redefinition of identity. Historically, these countries perceived their connection as a unique ethnic tie instead of a typical diplomatic link, frequently using the labels 'the south side' and 'the north side.' Nevertheless, North Korea has lately indicated a shift towards legitimising the separation. During the Games, the North Korean delegation took issue with journalists using the term 'North Korea,' demanding the use of their official name, 'Democratic People's Republic of Korea.' This mirrors a broader trend where Pyongyang seeks to redefine the inter-Korean relationship as one between two distinct states.
Experts suggest that sports—traditionally viewed as nonpolitical—are being weaponized to achieve specific political goals. While North Korea used the 2018 Winter Olympics to facilitate a historic U.S.-North Korea summit, it used the 2022 Asian Games to sharpen its rhetoric against the U.S. and South Korea, even referring to the South as a 'puppet' in state media. Amidst stalled dialogue and intensifying Cold War-style tensions, the Games highlighted a new reality: the era of 'brothers' has been replaced by a deliberate, public distance.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Asian Games revealed a new divide between South Korea and the North : NPR
- Also: South Korea at the 2022 Asian Games
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