Two North Korean table tennis stars have been placed under “ideological scrutiny” and could face disciplinary action after posing for a selfie on the Olympic podium with rivals from the South.
Despite winning silver medals at the Paris Olympics, Kim Kum-yong and Ri Jong-sik have landed themselves in trouble at home after celebrating their success in a snap with South Korean athletes Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin.
The South Korean mixed doubles players and the North Korean pair could be seen beaming on the podium in the popular image after receiving their bronze and silver medals last month.
One of the images was posted on the Games’ official Instagram site, where it racked up hundreds of thousands of likes, while People magazine named it one of the 12 best sportsmanship moments of the Paris Olympics.
But this week, local North Korean media claimed that Kim and Ri are now under “ideological scrutiny” following their actions.
North Korea’s table tennis silver medallists Ri Jong-sik and Kim Kum-yong pose with South Korea’s bronze medallists Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin during the medal ceremony after the table tennis – mixed doubles gold medal match on day four of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
The photos have caused a stir in North Korea as the athletes were seen smiling alongside their rivals.
North Korean news site Daily NK quoted a Pyongyang-based source as saying that North Korean athletes and Olympic Committee members had been undergoing a month-long “ideological cleansing” since returning home on Aug. 15.
This is reportedly standard procedure for athletes who have had recent exposure to life outside the walls of the communist state.
The outlet claimed that North Korea considers staying in a non-communist country a form of “exposure to pollution.”
Daily NK reported that the country’s athletes were instructed not to interact with competitors from outside countries, including the South, and were warned that “fraternizers” could face punishment.
The table tennis stars were reportedly criticised in a report submitted to officials for “smiling” as they posed on the podium alongside their rivals from a country North Korea has described as its “number one enemy”.
Kim Kum-yong took the selfie with a smile, while Ri Jong-sik was seen smiling as he looked at the other athletes after stepping off the podium.
But while this interaction is one of the rarest and most celebrated moments on the Olympic stage, it is now under harsh scrutiny within the isolated nation.
North Korean athletes returning from international competitions undergo a three-tier ideological check, the report said. Korean Times.
The first stage is carried out by the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the second by the Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports and finally by the athletic team itself.
Kim Kum-yong took the selfie with a smile, while Ri Jong-sik was seen smiling as they showed off their medals on the Olympic podium.
One of the images was posted on the Games’ official Instagram site, where it racked up hundreds of thousands of likes, while People magazine named it one of the 12 best sportsmanship moments of the Paris Olympics.
During internal team reviews, athletes are expected to criticize inappropriate behavior by others or publicly reflect on their own actions.
The evaluation closely examines athletes’ behaviour during the Games, and any deviation from the regime’s values or instructions could lead to disciplinary action.
A senior source told the South Korean newspaper that athletes who interact with foreign competitors, for example by taking selfies, must express strong remorse during self-criticism sessions to avoid political or administrative punishment.
Human Rights Watch said the reports “demonstrate the North Korean government’s efforts to control behavior beyond its borders.”
“The International Olympic Committee… has a responsibility to protect athletes from all forms of harassment and abuse, as set out in the Olympic Charter,” it said in a statement.
‘North Korean athletes should not fear retaliation for their actions at the Games, especially when their actions embody the values of respect and friendship on which the Olympic movement is founded.’
It is unclear what sanctions, if any, the table tennis stars might face after the selfie.