The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Korea to expand visa benefits to accelerate inbound tourism

  • 3

    'Moon gov't neglected, concealed North's killing of S. Korean official'

  • 5

    Photo of Samsung chief's playful pose goes viral

  • 7

    CJ Olive Young fined 1.89 bil. won for unfair supply contracts

  • 9

    Padres' Kim Ha-seong files blackmail complaint against Korean player

  • 11

    K-dramas, beauty, food to maintain popularity on TikTok in 2024

  • 13

    Major hospitals struggle to recruit pediatricians

  • 15

    Lawyer of Korean descent selected as chair of Dentons Global Board

  • 17

    Why Korean shoppers flock to Chinese e-commerce sites

  • 19

    Samsung to unveil AI-powered lifestyle vision at CES 2024

  • 2

    Hotels grapple with chronic staff shortages

  • 4

    INTERVIEWMeet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul

  • 6

    Giant panda statue at Everland

  • 8

    China's Xi warns top EU officials not to engage in 'confrontation'

  • 10

    Seoul awards honorary citizenship to outstanding foreign residents

  • 12

    'Soundtrack #2' tells classic yet realistic love story

  • 14

    SK reshuffles top management focusing on generational shift

  • 16

    NYT picks President Yoon, NewJeans among 71 'most stylish' people of 2023

  • 18

    Pro-Palestine protests in Seoul concern Israeli ambassador

  • 20

    INTERVIEW'Now is time for Koreans to unlock potential in Africa'

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Yun Byung-se
  • Kim Won-soo
  • Ahn Ho-young
  • Kim Sang-woo
  • Lee Kyung-hwa
  • Mitch Shin
  • Peter S. Kim
  • Daniel Shin
  • Jeon Su-mi
  • Jang Daul
  • Song Kyung-jin
  • Park Jung-won
  • Cho Hee-kyoung
  • Park Chong-hoon
  • Kim Sung-woo
  • Donald Kirk
  • John Burton
  • Robert D. Atkinson
  • Mark Peterson
  • Eugene Lee
  • Rushan Ziatdinov
  • Lee Jong-eun
  • Chyung Eun-ju and Joel Cho
  • Bernhard J. Seliger
  • Imran Khalid
  • Troy Stangarone
  • Jason Lim
  • Casey Lartigue, Jr.
  • Bernard Rowan
  • Steven L. Shields
  • Deauwand Myers
  • John J. Metzler
  • Andrew Hammond
  • Sandip Kumar Mishra
Sat, December 9, 2023 | 20:15
Casey Lartigue, Jr.
Defectors' views on North Korean cheerleaders coming to the Olympics
Posted : 2018-01-19 14:56
Updated : 2023-07-21 16:42
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Casey Lartigue Jr., co-founder of the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center, compiled these statements from interviews with the refugees. TNKR co-founder Lee Eun-koo translated the material.

Q. What do you think about the North Korean cheerleaders, athletes and musicians joining the Pyeongchang Olympics?

1. Kyung-ho (arrived in South Korea in 2009)

This was a bad decision by the South Korean government.

First, it is ironic because at the same time that North Korea is cracking down on North Koreans who listen to K-pop, South Korea is using resources to spread North Korean ideology. Everything North Korea does is to further its ideology, and South Korea is helping. I cannot understand what South Korea is doing when this is clearly propaganda.

Second, all of the players are from the elite. They will only be allowed to come here if they have demonstrated their allegiance to the government. There cannot be any real integration _ the athletes as well as the South Korean government are tools of the North Korean government, plus South Korea is even willing to pay North Korea to use the South as a tool.

2. Sujin (arrived in South Korea in 2014)

I do not understand why the South Korean government is doing this. North Korea will see this as weakness and stupidity by South Korea, not as a chance for good relations. North Korea only understands threats and force, that is why North Korea fears and secretly respects U.S. President Trump, but has no respect for President Moon and probably sees him as being a little stupid or naive.

3. Hyuk-cho (arrived in South Korea in 2016)

Frankly, I don't pay attention to North Korean issues these days. I am happy that I escaped from there.

4. Cheol-ho (arrived in South Korea in 2017)

Indifference. That is my true feeling about this. There are pros and cons, but at the end of the day, this co-operation does not really promise much in a political sense. I know the advocates say there is always the possibility to interact with foreigners, but that is unlikely to happen in reality.

How much is it worth it for the South Korean government to pay North Korea for this? I think an even bigger problem than the cheerleaders is that athletes from the South Korean team will miss out in order to give North Korean athletes an opportunity.


 
wooribank
LG group
Top 10 Stories
1Korea to expand visa benefits to accelerate inbound tourism Korea to expand visa benefits to accelerate inbound tourism
2Seoul awards honorary citizenship to outstanding foreign residentsSeoul awards honorary citizenship to outstanding foreign residents
3Seoul-Moscow ties likely stuck in limbo amid blame game Seoul-Moscow ties likely stuck in limbo amid blame game
4Will Korea avoid hard landing in housing market? Will Korea avoid hard landing in housing market?
5Why Korean shoppers flock to Chinese e-commerce sites Why Korean shoppers flock to Chinese e-commerce sites
6'12.12: The Day' goes strong at box office, attracts younger generation '12.12: The Day' goes strong at box office, attracts younger generation
7K-pop's appeal reflected in global accolades K-pop's appeal reflected in global accolades
8Hyundai Motor hires former US Ambassador to Korea Sung Kim as adviser Hyundai Motor hires former US Ambassador to Korea Sung Kim as adviser
9Justice minister challenges opposition leader in polls for potential next president Justice minister challenges opposition leader in polls for potential next president
10[INTERVIEW] Ex-NIS chief urges politicians to stop misusing spy agency INTERVIEWEx-NIS chief urges politicians to stop misusing spy agency
Top 5 Entertainment News
1'12.12: The Day' goes strong at box office, attracts younger generation '12.12: The Day' goes strong at box office, attracts younger generation
2K-pop's appeal reflected in global accolades K-pop's appeal reflected in global accolades
3[REVIEW] Musical 'Monte Cristo' returns with riveting tale of vengeance, love REVIEWMusical 'Monte Cristo' returns with riveting tale of vengeance, love
4[INTERVIEW] How AmazeVR revolutionizes aespa's LYNK-POP concert INTERVIEWHow AmazeVR revolutionizes aespa's LYNK-POP concert
5[INTERVIEW] Meet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul INTERVIEWMeet the man behind giant rubber ducks that once took over Seoul
DARKROOM
  • It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

    It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

  • 2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

    2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

  • Appreciation of autumn colors

    Appreciation of autumn colors

  • Our children deserve better

    Our children deserve better

  • Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

    Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel: 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844
Date of registration: 2020.02.05
Masthead: The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group