Despite the deep divide between North and South Korea, a moment of unity emerged during the Paris Olympics.
After competing in table tennis, athletes from both Koreas posed together for a selfie, joined by China’s team. This gesture followed the mixed doubles medal ceremony, where North Korea’s duo, Kim Kum-yong and Ri Jong-sik, earned a silver medal after upsetting top teams from Japan and Hong Kong.
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Meanwhile, South Korea’s Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin secured bronze, marking South Korea’s first table tennis medal since 2012. The two Korean teams did not face each other during the competition, but they came together for a friendly photo that quickly went viral.
The image, posted on the Olympics’ official Korean-language account, was celebrated as a powerful example of the Olympics’ ability to bridge divides.
This moment also highlighted the enduring cultural and familial ties between the Koreas, despite the ongoing political separation.
For Lim, the medal brought an added benefit: exemption from South Korea’s mandatory military service. The selfie moment offered a positive contrast to an earlier mishap at the opening ceremony, where South Korea was mistakenly announced as North Korea.
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