A large delegation from North Korea, dressed in identical garb and cheering in careful coordination, watched from an upper deck of the stadium. Will the Russians who aren’t Russians — the 168 who have been invited as “Olympic Athletes from Russia,” competing in neutral uniforms under the Olympic flag — bring home gold? More than 2,900 athletes from 92 countries will compete here, making it the biggest Winter Olympics to date. But North Korea has a habit of not letting itself be ignored when it comes to its southern rival. And so, with a little help from a liberal South Korean president eager to engage Pyongyang, the 2018 Pyeongchang Games open.

Source: Egypt Independent February 09, 2018 12:45 UTC