By Jung Min-ho
mj6c2@koreatimes.co.kr
North Korea’s recent war rhetoric has failed to frighten South Koreans, but seems to be scaring some outsiders, including athletes.
Many international sporting events here have been and are expected to be cancelled as foreign athletes refuse to come to Korea amid tension generated by Pyongyang.
Kazakhstan figure skater Denis Yuryevich Ten recently cancelled a plan to attend the Bolshoi Ice Show, which was scheduled from May 1 to 26 at Seoul’s Mokdong Ice Rink, because of the situation in Korea.
Given that Ten is a descendant of Min Keung-ho, who fought for Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule in the early 1900s, he has received keen attention from domestic fans. The show official said Russian figure skater Alexei Yagudin will replace Ten.
The Super Grand Touring Car Championship, which was expected to be held in Yeongam on May 18 and 19, was also indefinitely delayed. An official of Japan GT Association, the event organizer, said some Japanese racing teams had expressed concerns over their safety in Korea. A Super GT Korea official said they would refund tickets immediately and rearrange the race as soon as the situation calms down.
Last month, American golfers Dustin Johnson and Zach Johnson pulled out of the Ballantine’s Championship here because of “perceived unrest on the Korean peninsula,” according to the sponsors of the tournament.
It is not just figure skaters and golfers. Even beefcake combat sports athletes seem to be jittery.
The 4th Asian University Taekwondo Championship, which was scheduled this month, was put off to October after three countries decided not to participate in the event for the same reason.
The Road Fighting Championship, Korea’s largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization, almost cancelled its long-prepared 11th event last month after overseas fighters delayed coming here until the very last day.
After talking with their agencies, a Road FC official said the fighters “seemed to be scared after the North Korea declared a state of war with the South.” Despite the concerns, however, the event could be held without missing them thanks to the organizers’ persuasion.
Politics could have an impact much beyond its field. Park Yang-chun, secretary general for international relations for PyeongChang’s 2018 bid, said competitors tried to take an advantage of Korea’s unstable political situation during the bidding process.
North Korea is expected to continue to test South Korea’s sporting event organizers’ ability to reassure the foreign athletes’ safety over threats that most South Koreans are already numb to.