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| South Korean gymnast Lee Eun-ju, right, poses with North Korea's Hong Un-jong during the artistic gymnastics women's qualification at the Olympic Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 7. / Courtesy of Ian Bremmer's Twitter |
By Park Jae-hyuk
The two gymnasts from South and North Korea taking a selfie together was named one of the "10 biggest political moments at the Rio Olympics" by the Washington Post, Saturday.
On Aug. 7, South Korean gymnast Lee Eun-ju, 17, asked her North Korean rival Hong Un-jong, 27, to take a selfie together after their competition during the women's qualification for artistic gymnastics. Hong accepted Lee's offer and they staged the historic moment.
The Washington Post said, "The Korean Peninsula may technically still be in a state of war, but two gymnasts made a little peace."
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach described the Koreans' selfie as a "great gesture." He said on Aug. 10, "Fortunately, we see quite a few of these gestures here during the Olympic Games."
The moment of U.S. female fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad winning an Olympic medal with a hijab was placed second and the first-ever refugee Olympic team was also mentioned on the list.
"The Chilly War" between the U.S. and Russia and "Pool Wars" between Australia and China, both caused by doping scandals, were placed fourth and sixth, respectively.
Kuwaiti gold medalist shooter Fehaid Aldeehani's refusal to carry the Olympic flag as part of the Independent Olympic Athletes team also made the list.
The host Brazil was named twice, because the Organizing Committee expelled Brazilian spectators from stadiums for protesting their interim president Michel Temer and it canceled an opening ceremony skit of supermodel Gisele Bundchen getting robbed by a black kid.
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