Pyongyang will not travel to the Winter Olympics, has launched its own winter games

North Korea has opened its national winter games. Athletes from this isolated country will not be participating in the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, as they did not secure qualifying spots.

The 2026 National Winter Games began on Wednesday in the sports village of Paektusan in the city of Samjiyon, located in a mountainous region near the border with China, according to the official KCNA news agency. Sports clubs representing state institutions and large industrial enterprises are participating in the event.

They are competing in more than 50 disciplines in five winter sports, including ice hockey, figure skating, and skiing.

The country last participated in the Winter Olympics in 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, where it sent 22 athletes to compete in five sports.

The participation was accompanied by a brief diplomatic thaw in relations with Seoul, including the creation of a joint women's hockey team.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea significantly limited its participation in international sporting events and was suspended from the International Olympic Committee until the end of 2022 after failing to participate in the Tokyo Olympics.

(reuters, max)