http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/29/sport/north-korea-2018-winter-olympics-figure-skating/index.html
(CNN) — On Friday afternoon, in the small Bavarian ski-town of
Oberstdorf, figure skaters Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-sik
became the first North Korean athletes to qualify for South
Korea’s 2018 Winter Olympics — a development that could
have diplomatic implications as well as sporting ones.
The pair — who perform to the music of The Beatles and have
been training in Canada — produced an impressive free-skate
performance to secure one of the final Olympic spots up for
grabs at the Nebelhorn Trophy in Germany.
Ryom, 18, and 25-year-old Kim finished 15th at the World Championships last season and spent the summer
training in Montreal under French coach, Bruno Marcotte.
Their qualification will be welcome news to South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in, who earlier this month told CNN
that North Korean participation in PyeongChang will “provide a very good opportunity for inter-Korean peace and
reconciliation.”
READ: Playing football under the missiles
READ: South Korea hopes Games provide ‘inter-Korean peace’
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10/5/2017 North Korean figure skaters Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-sik qualify for 2018 Winter Olympics – CNN
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2018 Winter Olympics
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READ: Playing football under the missiles
READ: South Korea hopes Games provide ‘inter-Korean peace’
Tensions in the region have been heightened since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent two ballistic missiles
over Japan and also set o
his sixth, most powerful nuclear test on September 3.
President Donald Trump has also warned that the US will rain “fire and fury” on North Korea if it kept up its threats
against America and its allies.
The Winter Olympics begin in February just 40 miles from the
demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea and
the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has repeatedly
stressed how keen it is to have North Korea take part.
In fact, the IOC has been supporting several North Korean
athletes in their attempts to qualify — providing them with
equipment, travel and accommodation — and also talked
about the possibility of granting wild cards.
North Korean speed skaters and Nordic skiers still have the chance to qualify, but even if they do make the grade
there is no guarantee they will make it to PyeongChang.
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The final decision rest with the North Korea Olympic Committee, who boycotted the summer Olympics in Seoul 30
years ago.