North Korean athletes set off for the Paris Olympics

(20 Jul 2024)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pyongyang, North Korea - 20 July 2024
1. Wide exterior Pyongyang airport
2. Various of North Korean athletes and family members, and sports officials getting off coach and going into airport terminal building
3. Various of North Korean Minister of Physical Culture and Sports Kim Il Guk walking into airport and past athletes UPSOUND (Korean) Kim Il Guk: "Got everything ready?"
4. Various of North Korean athletes and sports officials filling in departure forms, walking towards departures and saying goodbye to family members
STORYLINE:
North Korean athletes set off for the Olympics in Paris on Saturday - the first time the country will have taken part since Covid.
The socialist state declined to send a squad to the Tokyo Olympics while its borders remained closed against Covid. The International Olympic Committee penalised Pyongyang for its no-show.
North Korea also didn't go to the Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022, but traditionally its participation in the Winter Olympics has been less than in the Summer Olympics.
North Korean athletes and officials, dressed in white jackets, got off a coach early Saturday morning at Pyongyang airport and did not talk to media as they moved through the airport.
Minister of Physical Culture and Sport Kim Il Guk walked in shortly afterwards, briefly asking the squad if everything was ready, as he walked past and into the terminal building.
It's not clear if Kim Il Guk is going to Paris for the Olympics. The last time North Korea went to the Olympics, in Brazil in 2016, senior official Choe Ryong Hae made the journey there.
North Korea normally competes in a few Olympic disciplines like wrestling, weightlifting, Judo, shooting and gymnastics.
Sports authorities are usually very reluctant to promote their players in advance of any competitions. But medal-winners are met with carefully coordinated cheering crowds on their return home.
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel [phone] Email: [e-mail].
Find out more about AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...
Twitter: / ap_archive
Facebook: / aparchives ​​
Instagram: / apnews
You can license this story through AP Archive: www.aparchive.c...

[@Vandanite]

Dumb question. But I Assume they are not getting a Samsung FLIP Phone

[@eFrog27]

Those poor athletes that see a world far more advanced than what is even allowed in their home country have to go back and not say a word. Even worse if they end up placing poorly when they’ve all been told that North Korea is among the most powerful in the world. Weird times for those people

[@nem3th]

When they return home they go straight to interrogation room, to have a talk for their lives.

[@Ivalince_]

You don't know, nobody knows how truly is North Korea, so you don't know what the athletes feel or what they will find when they get back home.

[@SalfordSoldier-lv4su]

RUN

[@suleestio6686]

They cant, kim holds their family hostage..

[@srji489]

I wonder if they will ever try a McDonald's 😅

[@SiberianHusky-jv4zv]

will they return back to NK? If they dont win what will happen to them ? How many Kim are there in contingent?

[@breaghamedi]

They’ll have to or else their whole family will be Jailed for life, kids, grandkids, grandparents, aunts uncles the whole family
They are all without a doubt the children/husbands/wives of Wealthy and influential North Koreans that have Kim jong uns respect and have probalby payed the Korean gov to keep them alive even if they don’t win, so I highly doubt anything SEVERE will happen

[@Bulllseye]

The army will arrest their families as punishment 😭

[@erikab514]

That’s a good question , I’m surprised they were even allowed to attend

[@adamsoboleski6857]

If they don't win, they come back and just get a regular job. They don't go to prison camps. If they try to escape from their groups, then probably when they get back there is harsh penalty. Happy for them to see the outside world.

[@SarahRawin]

good luck

[@Gloryzuki]

How ironic

[@torpedohost]

i hear they are all pole vaulters

[@nevinm516]

Uh oh...

[@rickyalbarez9466]

You can see there face

[@rolmaguiland21]

Careful , remember no decision is set in STONE DO YOUR BEST, GREAT TEAM WORK🎉🎉🎉🎉