It was a heartwarming moment that captured the Olympic spirit, but North Korea’s table tennis champions may be punished for joining a selfie with their opponents from the South.

Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong, who won silver medals, are said to be undergoing “ideological evaluation” along with other athletes who returned from the Paris Games.

The assessment is a standard procedure to “cleanse” the team from “exposure to contamination” abroad, the Daily NK reported.

North Korean athletes were reportedly given “special instructions” not to interact with South Koreans or other foreign athletes in Paris, under threat of repercussions.

Since returning from France, the Olympic team is believed to be in the process of a three-stage ideological assessment process by the country’s ministry of sport.

It is said to last about a month, with the intention of purging any lingering influence of “non-socialist” culture.

  • p5yk0t1km1r4ge@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Lol yeah, I do feel it’s justified. You are welcome to disagree, and that’s 100% ok. If you’re expecting me to respond and debate this, it’s not going to happen. Have a nice day!

    • Antmz22@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      I wonder what North Koreans would think if they knew there was a “debate” on if it’s acceptable to kidnap and hold them against their will…they’d probably understand why their govt is so careful and isolationist when it comes to the west.

        • Antmz22@lemm.ee
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          4 months ago

          Yes, you obviously don’t care about North Koreans, you just like the idea of “punishing” their government by kidnapping their people…