We are less than two weeks away from the Winter Olympics, the grandest stage of athletic achievement and cultural diversity. A time when fans can embrace their national pride and when world leaders can briefly exchange their cue cards for flags.
With the 2018 Winter Olympic Games set to take place in Pyeongchang, South Korea, the narrative leading into this year’s games is shaping up to be one of the more politically driven ones in recent memory. After all, that is what these Winter Olympics are all about, right? At least that is what the news makes it out to be.
For the first time in Olympic history, North Korea and South Korea will be competing under the same flag. A unified flag, that is. In addition to sending 22 of its athletes to compete in this year’s games, North Korea has also agreed to enter a joint women’s ice hockey team with South Korea.
Let that sink in for a few seconds. It is a weird thing to think about, and it is even harder to grasp that both of these rival countries will temporarily join forces in less than two weeks time. As the saying goes, however, sometimes the truth can be stranger than fiction.
At the beginning of the year, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un made it clear in his speech that the decision to form an Olympic alliance with South Korea would be a crucial step in repairing the fragile relationship between the two countries. While many believe the move is nothing but a tactic being used by North Korea to create an illusion of peace, there is no evidence to confirm those speculations. Another talking point that could be addressed is whether this move will have any consequences in terms of the United States’ relationship with both countries. It seems that with every day that passes by, the public’s fear of North Korea starting a nuclear catastrophe grows larger and more complicated. If you have been listening to American news networks for the past few months, then you understand.
However, this story is currently about the ongoing development between North Korea and South Korea. It would be unethical to make this about the U.S. and nuclear weapons. If anything, this move will help to slightly ease the public’s concern about North Korea’s nuclear weapons, at least until the conclusion of the Winter Olympics.
What makes both the summer and winter Olympics truly special is that for a brief period of time, everyone is able to forget all the political tensions and animosity in the world and appreciate what makes each of our countries special. This year’s Winter Olympics may seem different on paper, but they will still go on like all the other previous games. Only this time, in a different country.
