By Akeesha Williams
The PyeongChang Winter Olympics have arrived this year and will be kicking off today, February 9th. Katie Couric and Mike Tirico will be hosting the 23rd Olympic Winter Games. The Opening Ceremonies will start Friday morning and will be short, unlike the Summer Olympics, because of the freezing temperatures. The weather is so cold that organizers are handing out blankets because of this may be the coldest Winter Olympics in history. Pyeongchang county is located in the coldest region in South Korea.
Despite the cold weather, many important people are attending the biggest event of the year. Vice President Pence is in PyeongChang, alongside North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, and close advisor, Kim Yo-Jung. It is the first time any family member has been in South Korea. According to the Washington Post, Pence and Kim will be at the Opening Ceremonies. One thing that has caught the attention of all, is that they will be marching together in the Opening Ceremonies.
While North Koreans aren’t allowed to leave the country, they are able to leave if they are participating in the Winter Olympics. According to Sports Illustrated, “Athletes from North Korea will be allowed to cross the usually off-limits demilitarized zone between North and South Korea to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.” During the games, you might realize that the two nations will be competing “under the joint Korean flag” and this may be an effort that symbolizes “easing of tensions between the two nations.” North Korea has participated in major athletic competitions, even the Summer Olympics since 1972, and “eight of the last 13 Winter Games”.
While the Winter Olympics relatively puts politics aside, South Korea’s president, Moon Jae-in, sees the Games as an opportunity to engage North Korea, and hopefully convince the country to “enter into negotiations to scale back its nuclear and ballistic missile program.” Moon states, “Of course it was a surprise,” when talking about North Korea’s decision to join the Games as a joint team, “It will be an opportunity for the peace we were thinking of to be shown to the world in a more deep way”. The PyeongChang Winter Olympics will be reference and reminder of when both Nations, North and South Korea, participated together in the Games peacefully.