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No Samsung phones, Nike uniforms for North Koreans

Tough international sanctions including travel restrictions and a ban on the sale of luxury goods and sports gear have complicated South Korean Olympic organizers' efforts to provide them the freebies

Image for representative purpose only

Bengaluru, February 2: Though most of the Pyeongchang-bound athletes are set to get freebies including the latest Samsung smartphones and sleek Nike uniforms, the 22 North Korean athletes who will compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics may not be eligible for the same, according to informed sources.

Tough international sanctions including travel restrictions and a ban on the sale of luxury goods and sports gear have complicated South Korean Olympic organizers' efforts to provide their northern neighbors with the same benefits available to other Olympians.

For months, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has sought North Korea's participation in the hopes it will ease tensions between the still officially warring nations and prevent the kind of violent incidents which have plagued previous major events hosted by the South.

Officials have rolled out the red carpet and are keen to make sure the visits go off without a hitch.

North Korean female ice hockey players and their South Korean teammates, who will compete as one nation in the Games for the first time, have been training together.

But overshadowing those efforts, however, are a host of US and UN Security Council sanctions on Pyongyang over its efforts to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the United States and North Korean athletes are going to suffer as a result of that.

Samsung Electronics, an official sponsor of the Winter Games, is offering 4,000 Galaxy S8 smartphones specially designed for the Olympics to the participating athletes which the International Olympic Committee will be distributing to them.

But South Korea is not sure if North Korean athletes will be eligible for the treats because of UN Security Council sanctions.

According to experts, providing the $930 Samsung phone could violate UN sanctions that ban the sale of luxury items and electronics with a potential "dual" commercial and military use.

Meanwhile, the joint women's hockey team will wear uniforms made by a Finnish company instead of official sponsor Nike, because of concerns about US sanctions.

(With Agency inputs).

Story first published: Friday, February 2, 2018, 14:47 [IST]
Other articles published on Feb 2, 2018