The tension between North and South Korea spilled over to the podium

Tension between North and South Korean athletes left its mark on the 2023 Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China.

North Korean athletes won the silver medal in the men’s 10 meter track and field team race, where South Korea won the gold medal. After the competition, South Korean athletes took to the podium to receive their medals and listen to the South Korean national anthem. North Korean athletes, on the other hand, refused to support their South Korean rivals.

A South Korean athlete, wanting to ease the tension, touched the shoulder of his North Korean opponent, who refused to stand next to them. However, the North Korean athletes did not react to this situation and avoided establishing visual contact with their South Korean rivals.

North Korean athletes have shown similar behavior before in international sports competitions. For example, at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, North Korean figure skaters refused to pose with their South Korean competitors.

A PEACE AGREEMENT HAS NOT BEEN SIGNED YET

This incident was interpreted as an indication that tension between both countries continues. North Korea and South Korea fought between 1950 and 1953, and a ceasefire was declared after this war.

However, since no peace treaty has been signed between the two countries, they are still technically considered to be at war. To normalize relations between the two countries, it is necessary to take measures at the political and diplomatic levels.