North Koreans not given Samsung phones at Paris Olympics–IOC

North Koreans not given Samsung phones at Paris Olympics–IOC

/ 02:48 PM August 09, 2024

Paris Olympics 2024 North Korea South Korea

South Korea’s Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin take a selfie picture with his mobile as he celebrates on the podium with gold medalists China’s Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha silver medalists North Korea’s Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong (front 2nd L) and bronze medalist at the end of their mixed table tennis doubles competition at the Paris Olympics. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP)

North Korean Olympians have not received Samsung smartphones, unlike athletes from other countries at the Paris Olympics, the IOC told AFP on Thursday, hours after Seoul suggested that providing them the phones could violate UN sanctions against the nuclear-armed North.

South Korea’s tech giant Samsung Electronics, an official partner of the Olympics, earlier announced it was providing an Olympic edition of its advanced smartphone, the foldable Galaxy Z Flip6, to “all approximately 17,000” athletes participating in the Paris Games this year.

Article continues after this advertisement

The company and the International Olympic Committee have promoted “victory selfies” in Paris, in which medallists on the podium take group selfies using the Galaxy Z Flip6.

FEATURED STORIES
READ: From cold shoulder to selfie together, two Koreas’ encounter at Olympics

North Korean table tennis silver medalists participated in one such group podium selfie last week alongside South Korean bronze winners — a rare inter-Korean encounter that went viral.

But the South Korean government said Thursday that providing Samsung smartphones to North Korean Olympians could violate United Nations sanctions related to Pyongyang’s weapons program, following a report by US-funded outlet Radio Free Asia that North Korea, like other nations, had received the phones for its athletes.

Article continues after this advertisement

But the IOC told AFP in a statement late Thursday that North Korean Olympians “have not received the Samsung phones”.

Article continues after this advertisement

The IOC did not give any further details.

Article continues after this advertisement
READ: North-South Korea podium selfie at Paris Olympics goes viral

Relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points in years, with the North recently announcing the deployment of 250 ballistic missile launchers to its southern border.

Nuclear-armed and isolated North Korea is barred by multiple UN resolutions from tests using ballistic missile technology.

Article continues after this advertisement

Seoul’s foreign ministry said earlier Thursday that a UN Security Council resolution bans “direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to North Korea of all industrial machinery”.

“Smartphones are considered prohibited items under this resolution,” it said.

READ: North Korea wins first Olympics medal in eight years

The ministry added that Seoul was “making diplomatic efforts in coordination with the international community” to ensure resolutions against the North were “thoroughly implemented”.

South Korea has responded to the North’s increased weapons testing and trash-carrying balloon bombardments this year by resuming propaganda broadcasts along the border, fully suspending a tension-reducing military deal and restarting live-fire drills near the border.

The broadcasts, which infuriate Pyongyang due to its extreme sensitivity about its citizens accessing information from the democratic South, included a report on the global sales performance of Samsung smartphones, as well as songs by K-pop megastars BTS, according to Yonhap news agency.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

During the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, North Korea declined to accept Samsung smartphones offered by the Olympics organisers, who required that the North’s athletes return the phones before leaving the country, according to Yonhap.

Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Paris Olympics 2024.

TAGS: Paris Olympics

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.