North Korea’s Weapons of Mass Distraction
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By bringing 10 times more cheerleaders than athletes, North Korea has deployed a tool that has polarized the Olympic crowd.
The diplomatic efforts between the two Koreas at the Pyeongchang Olympics so far have included a visit from Kim Jong Un’s sister, bilateral meetings and the decision to field a single squad of athletes under the flag of a unified Korea.
Those instruments of statecraft, however, were conspicuously lacking in choreographed chants and speedy wardrobe changes. For that, North Korea has fallen back on its favorite weapon of mass distraction: cheerleader diplomacy.
Already among the most polarizing attractions of these Winter Games, a squad of more than 100 young women in matching red tracksuits made its Olympic debut on Saturday night, putting on an unannounced display in the stands during short-track speedskating. The 12,000 fans inside the Gangneung Ice Arena couldn’t help but watch.
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