Consequences of coronavirus: DPRK refuses to participate in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo

The DPRK became the first country to refuse to participate in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which will be held from July 23 to August 8 this year.

The official reason was stated fears for the health of athletes in connection with the coronavirus pandemic.

This decision was made at the session of the country's national Olympic committee on March 25.

"At the meeting, the DPRK Olympic Committee discussed the proposals of its members and decided not to participate in the 32nd Olympic Games in order to protect athletes from the global health crisis caused by COVID-19," the committee said in a statement.

Prior to this, no country has yet announced that it is withdrawing from the competition in connection with the coronavirus pandemic.

Without taking into account the DPRK, 205 countries that are members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will be able to take part in the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

According to official data, not a single case of coronavirus infection has been recorded in the DPRK.

The country has closed borders and has taken various measures to combat the disease, which have been in effect since the beginning of last year.

At the end of March, the Russian Embassy in the DPRK reported that "total restrictions unprecedented in their severity" were operating on the territory of the state.

Earlier, South Korean President Moon Jae-in expressed hope that the DPRK will perform at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

He viewed this event as an opportunity for further dialogue between the two countries, as well as a chance for the DPRK to improve relations with Japan and the United States.

As of early April, athletes from the DPRK qualified in eight sports: boxing, wrestling, athletics, table tennis, diving, gymnastics and shooting.

The preliminary composition of the North Korean team consisted of 16 people.

Also, the country had chances to qualify for judo, weightlifting and other disciplines, where the list of participants is determined closer to the beginning of the Olympic Games.

If we consider the results of the DPRK at the last world championships in summer sports, then they are the current owners of two gold, four silver and four bronze medals in the Olympic types of the program.

At the same time, they won one set of bronze medals together with South Korea in the women's team table tennis competition.

The favorites in the dispute for the gold in the Tokyo Olympics could be Park Young Mi and Lim Jong Sim, who became world champions in freestyle wrestling and weightlifting in 2019.

At the previous Games in Rio de Janeiro, athletes from the DPRK won two gold, three silver and two bronzes.

In the past, the DPRK has repeatedly refused to participate in the Olympic Games.

She won the right to compete in 1957, but took advantage of it only 15 years later in the summer competition.

Also, the country refused to participate in the Games in 1984 and 1988.

In the first case, North Korea boycotted the competition in Los Angeles together with the socialist bloc of countries, and in the second, it refused to come to neighboring Seoul after the failure of negotiations on joint hosting of the Olympics.

At the same time, in 2018, the DPRK took part in the Winter Olympic Games held in South Korean PyeongChang.

She not only sent a team of 22 athletes, 12 of whom made up the Korea Women's United Ice Hockey Team, but also a delegation of fans and officials led by Kim Yeo Jung, Kim Jong Un's sister.

The competition took place against the backdrop of warming relations between the two countries.

Reports of the DPRK's refusal to participate in the Tokyo Olympics appeared less than a week after it became known about the filing of a joint application by North and South Korea to host the Summer Games in 2032.

The Seoul administration has notified the IOC of its intention to organize the competition with Pyongyang.

The leaders of the two countries reached an appropriate agreement back in September 2018.

However, holding the Olympics in the two Korean capitals may be hampered by the IOC's February decision to give priority to the Australian Brisbane application.

South Korea expressed regret at such a hasty decision and called on the committee to continue negotiations with other countries until the final approval of the capital of the 2032 Olympics.