SEOUL: North Korea has decided not to participate in the Tokyo Olympics this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the website of the North Korean Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports.

The website said that the decision, made by the North Korean Olympic Committee at a general meeting on March 25, is intended to protect North Korean athletes from the global health crisis caused by the new coronavirus.

The Tokyo Olympic Games are scheduled to start on July 23.

The decision apparently came as the epidemic has not been contained in Japan and North Korea is believed to be having difficulty securing enough vaccines against the new coronavirus for the people in the isolated country.

North Korea, while officially claiming that no one in the country has contracted COVID-19, has been taking strict preventive measures against the virus, including shutting its border with China, as the country obviously has a poor public health system and is highly vigilant against the entry of the virus.

North Korea apparently prioritized epidemic prevention over the promotion of sports and the enhancement of national prestige through the Olympics.

The Japanese and South Korean governments had been pinning hopes on the Tokyo Games as an opportunity to come into contact with the North Korean side and improve their respective relationships with Pyongyang. North Korea’s decision to skip the Olympics means that the chance of senior North Korean officials visiting Japan for the sporting event has disappeared.

JIJI Press