North Korean Athletes Spotted Training ⁢Safely After ⁢Taking Selfie with South Korean Athletes

Shin ‍Yu-bin and Lim Jong-hoon of the South Korean​ table tennis team won gold‌ medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic ‌Games Table Tennis ⁣Mixed Doubles Awards Ceremony held at Arena 4 South Paris⁢ in Paris, France on the 30th (Korea time),⁤ along with⁣ China’s Wang Chu-qin and Sun Ying-sha, and North Korea’s ‍Ri Jong-sik, who won silver medals.

North Korean athletes, who are expected to​ be severely punished for taking a ‘selfie’ with South ⁢Korean‌ athletes‍ at the Paris 2024⁤ Olympics, have been ⁤revealed to be training safely. However, ⁣some speculate that since ‘selfie punishment’⁢ has received worldwide attention and​ criticism, ⁤the‌ North Korean ​authorities ⁤were aware ⁤of this and made their images public.

On the 18th, Chosun Central TV highlighted the Youth Street Sports Village,‍ saying, “Workers in the‌ sports sector,⁣ players and coaches are running vigorously to show ‍the dignity and honor of their ⁢country to ⁤the world with the ‌gold medal of the championship. “Among the ‍players currently⁢ training, ⁢Ri Jeong-sik and ⁢Kim‌ Geum-young, who won‍ silver medals ‌in table tennis mixed doubles at ‍the last Olympic Games ⁣in Paris,‌ were also seen.

North Korea’s table ⁢tennis team Ri Jong-sik and Kim Geum-yong hold up the silver medal at the table tennis mixed ‍doubles award ceremony at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games held at Arena 4 De Paris‍ in Paris, ⁢France on the⁤ 30th (Korea time).

Daily NK quoted a​ high-ranking source in Pyongyang at ‌the time⁢ of the Olympics as saying ⁢that the athletes⁤ were being evaluated‍ in⁢ Pyongyang after‌ returning ‍to Korea, adding, “The Korean athletes, who the authorities defined⁤ as‌ enemy⁤ number​ one, right ​next to them, and they⁢ are smiling. The report ‌was said to include the following: “He ⁤appeared with a smile on his face.”

There were concerns like “they ⁤could be​ sentenced to labor training ‌for at least 2-3⁤ years” and “they could be sent to a political prison camp,” but⁣ given their focus on training, some⁤ say no true⁢ punishment. However, given that they appeared⁢ on TV a month after the Olympics had closed, there is ⁤also the possibility‍ that ⁢they had already received ⁤a light punishment‌ and returned, or that they were deliberately⁣ sent on⁣ TV without‌ punishment ⁤from fear of public attention.