I mean, for most countries it's a way of putting themselves on the map and it's also to increase their soft power and influence in the world, but I don't get why North Korea is in the Olympics?

I mean, even if it is for propaganda purposes, I feel like it might not go down well with the citizens of their country when they get to know the "Evil Americans and the No-good Japanese" win many many more medals than the motherland. And let's not forget there is a risk of players calling it quits (it has happened before), so why are they gaining from it?

PS: North Korea won a silver btw.

edit: To everyone who replies, know that I appreciate your answers even if I can't reply to every one of you! :)

edit 2: Forget the Americans or the Japanese, South Koreans participate too, I mean, do they even report how many medals their brothers on the other side won? I mean, I would not have been able to wipe off the feeling that we are in the wrong Korea if I knew how many medals South Koreans win (and they bloody win a lot at Shooting too, Shooting, it's like the Unique Selling Point of North Korea :').

  • Nakoichi [they/them]
    ·
    2 months ago

    This is racist ass shit this post. Also the US is ontologically evil and they have every reason to hate the country that killed millions of their people and destroyed over half of all the buildings in the DPRK (icluding the part currently occupied byba fascist puppet state). They are literally still officially at war with te US.

    Learn some history before saying something this chauvinist and ignorant. No investigation, no right to speak.

  • plinky [he/him]
    ·
    2 months ago

    Why does french regime host olympics, a way of bringing attention to their country, while they have post-fascist party nearly winning elections, suppressing indigenous kanak movements, taking political prisoners, brutalizing protestors, and authoritarian president passing laws by fiat? real 1936 vibes

    One may never know.

  • LaGG_3 [he/him, comrade/them]
    ·
    2 months ago

    Sports are fun and people enjoy competing in them/cheering for the athletes that are "representing" them (even if they may not win)?

  • utopologist [any]
    ·
    2 months ago

    This might be a good opportunity to do some self-reflecting on your beliefs about the DPRK! When you observe that objective facts don't line up with your perception of this country, the correct thing to do is not to say "how can I twist what I'm observing into an explanation that will leave my perception unchallenged"; it's to say "perhaps my perception of this country is flawed" and re-evaluate

  • oscardejarjayes [comrade/them]
    ·
    2 months ago

    Why wouldn't they be in the olympics? Unless a country is banned, it's just something a country does. Even places that aren't technically countries participate! There is 206 delegations at this years Olympics, and the UN only recognized a total of 195 nations.