Negotiations this month between North and South Korea have borne fruit in the form of a last minute agreement to participate in the Winter Olympics, with North Korea now planning to send 22 participants.
It’s more than just Olympic participation, of course. South Korean officials have made clear they see this as a catalyst for general improvements in bilateral relations, and North Korea appears to agree, with the two sides agreeing to a joint team, and marching together at the Olympics ceremony.
That seems to be the way things are going generally, with North Korea having also sent a pop singer to South Korea in a sign of good will, and getting a huge positive reaction in the South.
Cultural exchanges, along with friendly athletic competition, is an important way to boost relations, giving the general public some investment in seeing an improved relationship in the long term.
They best be careful. Next you know, the CIA will stage a false flag “attack” just to get the hot war going again. You know that’s what they live for.
I doubt this will happen, David; security’s been tight since the domestic terrorist bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, GA, and security will be extra tight at the Peongchang Winter Olympics as it was at the Sochi Olympics 4 years ago. The CIA would be awfully stupid to try pulling off that stunt.
Not at the Olympics…along the border, the DMZ, etc. A stray missile that doesn’t actually belong to N. Korea, a stray shell fired from some position inside the country where no N. Korean troops are stationed, etc. Much like what they did in the Ukraine with the passenger jet.
Refreshing, true Olympic spirit. Lets hope everybody gets addicted to peace