Incheon, South Korea: The healing process is on. Years of mistrust between the two Koreas seems to be finally heading towards at least a cordial shake of hands, thanks to the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.
North Korea has sent in a delegation of 273 members to the Games. And this bodes well, at least for the time-being as the two neighbours seek to cement ties while starting off with an interaction on the global stage.
According to a BBC World Service poll conducted in 2013, four per cent of South Koreans view the North’s influence positively. But a 2014 government funded survey found only 13 per cent of South Koreans viewing their neighbours as hostile and a huge 58 per cent of South residents believing that North Korea was a country they should cooperate with.
The division of Korea was a result of the conclusion of the Second World War in 1945 with the Soviet Union backing Communist North and the the US lending its support to the more progressive South. The Korean War between 1950 to 1953 pushed the two Koreas further apart, and it was only into the 2010s that relations began to thaw between the two.
Given this background, the Asian Games could not have come at a more opportune time. On Thursday, a special ceremony was held at the Flag Plaza of the Guwol Athletes’ Village where the North Korean squad was officially welcomed to the Games.
Led by North Korean chief of delegation Kim Yong-hun, the athletes mingled with fellow athletes for some time before heading back towards their specially-guarded quarters.
Reaction to the North’s participation at the Games too has been muffled to say at best with North Korean media finding joy in their men’s football team’s 3-0 win over China in the preliminary rounds earlier this week.
The Rodong Shinmun, the main newspaper in Pyongyang, carried a story in Page 4 of North Korea’s victory against China in their Group F match on Tuesday. The report detailed North Korea’s “strong and determined show of brilliance in attack and defence” during the 90 minutes of the match mentioning the three goal scorers: Sim Hyon-jin, So Kyong-jin and Ri Hyok-chol.
The story, however, did not specify where the Asian Games are being held.
