Pyeongchang: The two Koreas marched together and South Korea’s president Moon Jae-in shared a historic handshake with Kim Jong Un’s sister, a smiling Kim Yo Jong as the 2018 Winter Olympics opened in a spirit of intense rapprochement here, Friday.
At a glittering but sub-zero ceremony, South and North Korea brought the crowd to its feet as they entered behind the blue-and-white Korean unification flag.
It cemented what has been a rapid improvement in Korean ties since North Korea – after months of fierce nuclear rhetoric and missile tests – agreed last month to attend their first Olympics in the South.
South and North Korea last marched together at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. They also made the symbolic gesture at the opening of the 2000 and 2004 Olympics in Sydney and Athens.
“You will inspire us all to live together in peace and harmony despite all the differences we have,” said IOC president Thomas Bach, before Moon declared the Games open.
Kim Yu-na, South Korea’s former gold medal winning figure skater, wore skates as she lit the Olympic cauldron, after being handed the torch by two members of the joint Korean women’s ice hockey team – one from the North and one from the South.
Lee Hee-beom, head of the Games organizing committee, said ‘the North and South have become one through the Olympics’.
“Pyeongchang Olympics will become the hope and light for everyone that hopes for peace, not only on the Korean peninsula but in northeast Asia and the entire world,” said Lee.
In contrast, Russia’s athletes entered the ceremony behind a neutral flag after their team was suspended over a doping scandal. Despite the ban 168 ‘Olympic Athletes from Russia’ will compete here.
Shivering athletes are bracing for one of the coldest Winter Olympics on record, with real-feel temperatures plumbing minus 10 degree centigrade at the opening ceremony.
Japan’s speed skaters were among the athletes who decided it was too cold to brave the open-air ceremony, while organisers handed out heat packs, blankets and hats to keep spectators warm.
But Tonga’s Pita Taufatofua, echoing his eye-catching entrance at the Rio Olympics, happily braved the chill as he appeared stripped to the waist and with his chest heavily oiled.
Protests continue
Pyeongchang: Hundreds of anti-North Korea protesters scuffled with riot police outside the Winter Olympics stadium here Friday, hours before two of the North’s most senior officials were due to attend the Games’ opening ceremony. Protesters burnt North Korean flags and pictures of the reclusive state’s leader, Kim Jong Un, as around 800 people gathered for a march towards the stadium. The protesters scuffled briefly with police and criticised South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who is using the Olympics to re-engage with the North and pave the way for talks regarding the latter’s nuclear and missile programme.
Agence France-Presse