First paragraph: TheXXIII Olympic Winter Gamesin PyeongChang provides a fascinating opportunity to consider the complex relationship between sport and national identity, especially as North and South Korea will be fielding a joint women&rsquo;s ice hockey team. The last-minute teamdecisionwas announced on January 17 as part of theOlympic Korean Peninsula Declaration, and generated considerabledebate, especially among younger South Koreans who view the move to be North Korea hitching a ride on the coat-tails of their own team

Hong, Hee Jung

Reid, Irene A

English

Stirling Online Research Repository

2/14/2018 Korea's first unified Olympic team is an uneasy truce of diplomacy and sexismhttps://theconversation.com/koreas-first-unified-olympic-team-is-an-uneasy-truce-of-diplomacy-and-sexism-91126 1/4AuthorsIrene A ReidLecturer in Sociology of Sport, University ofStirlingHee Jung HongPhD graduate and Teaching Staff, Facultyof Health Sciences and Sport, University ofStirlingAcademic rigour, journalistic flairThe XXIII Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang provides a fascinatingopportunity to consider the complex relationship between sport and nationalidentity, especially as North and South Korea will be fielding a joint women’s icehockey team.The last-minute team decision was announced on January 17 as part of the Olympic Korean Peninsula Declaration, and generated considerable debate, especially amongyounger South Koreans who view the move to be North Korea hitching a ride on thecoat-tails of their own team.In the world of elite sport, the timing of the decision seems like an afterthought, andwomen’s ice hockey is the only sport where a joint Korean team will feature. So itraises at least two questions. Why the women’s ice hockey team? And is this agenuine act of good faith to promote women, sport and unity, or simply a case ofgesture politics that will not be be followed up by any serious diplomacy?A complicated historyFebruary 9, 2018 8.31am GMT  •Updated February 9, 2018 11.31am GMTKorea’s first unified Olympic team is an uneasy truce ofdiplomacy and sexism2/14/2018 Korea's first unified Olympic team is an uneasy truce of diplomacy and sexismhttps://theconversation.com/koreas-first-unified-olympic-team-is-an-uneasy-truce-of-diplomacy-and-sexism-91126 2/4Coexisting in a tense geopolitical atmosphere, these two nation states were manufactured out of the complex arrangements that divided Korea in the aftermath of World War II and the emergent ColdWar.Following the Korean War (1950-53) between the US-backed South and the North, backed by theUSSR and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the uneasy truce suspended but did not resolve theconflict between the neighbours. But despite these divisions, Korean people share a common cultureand history that long predates their war.Against this backdrop, South Korea has transformed itself into a proud sporting powerhouse investingin sport and hosting international events such as the 1988 Seoul Olympics and the 2002 FIFA WorldCup (with Japan). Given the kudos that comes with staging the Olympics, it’s not surprising thisrecent declaration of unity has met with some opposition in South Korea.Thawing the ‘uneasy truce’The announcement confirming a delegation from North Korea would take part in the PyeongChangGames has sparked interest in the potential power of sport in international diplomacy and evokes anarrative of unification and reconciliation that aligns – conveniently – with the ideal of the “Olympic truce”.Teams from North and South will participate in the opening ceremony “together as one Korea”. Butbeyond these ceremonial rituals, women’s ice hockey is the only sport in which the two Koreas willProtesters in Seoul outside a rink where the joint North and South Korean women’s ice hockey team was playing a practicematch with Sweden on February 4. PA, CC BY-SA2/14/2018 Korea's first unified Olympic team is an uneasy truce of diplomacy and sexismhttps://theconversation.com/koreas-first-unified-olympic-team-is-an-uneasy-truce-of-diplomacy-and-sexism-91126 3/4compete as one, under the unification flag, playing in a specially designed strip, with Korean folk songArirang – familiar to both nation states – as their national anthem.But national unity is not something simply created by a flag, a uniform and a shared song. On thesurface, the unification arrangements appear positive, but a recent government survey revealed thatsupport for reunification has dropped from 69.3% four years ago to 57.8%. And among South Koreansin their twenties, 71.2% oppose it.Criticism and protestIt’s interesting that female, rather than male, athletes have been chosen as a symbol of this(temporary) unified “nation”; women are not often elevated in a national narrative, especially insport. But as promoting women in sport is a key focus for the IOC, it seems reasonable to profilefemale athletes in this way.Still, the decision has been the target for legitimate criticism. Hayley Wickenheiser a four-timeOlympic ice hockey gold medallist for Canada and an IOC Athletes’ Commission member, is one ofmany who argue the proposal doesn’t support gender equality in the Olympic movement, as the men’sice hockey teams have not been combined.Media reports claim the public believes the female ice hockey players are being treated unfairly andwith a lack of respect. It is assumed some players will lose out because of the required inclusion ofthree North Korean players in each game. An online petition on Blue House – the official website ofthe South Korean government – protesting the joint team has over 58,000 signatures.The reasons why women’s ice hockey will be the symbol of “one Korea” beyond the opening ceremonyare unclear. The South Korean prime minister, Lee Nak-yeon, didn’t help things when he remarkedthat the women’s ice hockey team was “out of the medal range” in any case.Korean National Classical Orchestra/YouTube.아리랑 (Arirang) - Korean Folk Song2/14/2018 Korea's first unified Olympic team is an uneasy truce of diplomacy and sexismhttps://theconversation.com/koreas-first-unified-olympic-team-is-an-uneasy-truce-of-diplomacy-and-sexism-91126 4/4North Korea South Korea Soft diplomacy Korea PyeongChang Winter Games 2018 Korean peninsulaGlobal Perspectives Winter Olympics 2018It may well be true that neither South nor North Korean teams (world-ranked 22 and 25 respectively)were likely to win a medal. And while the prime minister has apologised for his insensitive anddismissive remark, it suggests a lack of understanding and respect for the female athletes’ hard work,preparation and commitment. In addition to undermining gender equality, the logic seems toundermine two of the IOC’s key values – excellence and respect.Sport has been used in soft diplomacy between the two nations before – in 1991, at the World TableTennis Championships in Japan, and at the FIFA World Youth Championship in Portgual. The twostates have also paraded together three times at the Olympics. But PyeongChang will be the first timea joint Korean effort enters a competitive team at the Games.As the XXIII Winter Olympics begin, could the joint team seriously be a starting point for unificationafter the games? Or will it just be another scheme in which a group of female athletes were played astokens of international gesture diplomacy?The answer is probably the latter, at least in the short term. Sport may provide transient opportunitiesfor national unity, but it can’t do the heavy lifting required for political reunification.The Conversation is a non-profit. Help knowledge-based,ethical journalism today.Make a donationNBC/YouTube.North Korean Athletes Arrive In PyeongChang Ahead Of Olympic Gam… 

Korea’s first unified Olympic team is an uneasy truce of diplomacy and sexism

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Korea’s first unified Olympic team is an uneasy truce of diplomacy and sexism

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