A map of two Koreas showing North Korea’s capital Pyongyang and South Korea’s capital Seoul is placed at the Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea, on Wednesday. Photo: APThis week, South Korea accepted North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s offer of “urgent” talks over his country’s participation in the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. Its economy was in tatters, the Soviet bloc was refusing to recognize it diplomatically, and tensions with North Korea were soaring. There were serious fears that yet another boycott, this time in support of North Korea, could permanently undermine what legitimacy the Olympic movement still had. For South Korea’s leaders, this presented a risk -- but also an opportunity.

Source: Mint January 04, 2018 05:48 UTC