The match started with a handshake and ended with a little hug, the muscular Koreans refusing to acknowledge the military and political tensions back home.
Wrestlers from North and South Korea faced off on the Asian Games mat yesterday, the morning after the two countries exchanged artillery fire near their disputed sea border. Two South Korean marines were killed and the international community appealed for calm following the dramatic confrontation.
However, there was nothing out of the ordinary in the match between North Korea’s Yang Chun-song and South Korea’s Kim Dai-sung in the men’s freestyle 66kg division, as athletes and coaches tried to keep the focus on sports.
PHOTO: AFP
Yang won 3-0, dominating the competition in which the men were literally hand-to-hand.
At one point, Yang, who was wearing a red uniform, had his opponent in blue by the ankles. Kim pushed himself up on his hands as if it were a child’s game of “wheelbarrow,” drawing chuckles from the audience.
As they left the mat, the men exchanged a brief hug, then shook hands cordially with each other’s coaches.
PHOTO: AFP
Both sides walked out of the arena quickly, breezing past a scrum of waiting reporters.
“I don’t want to get into politics,” said Kim Chang-kew, president of the Asian Associated Wrestling Committee. “We are [here] for sport and for these Asian Games. Sport should not be connected with war or peace.”
Kim said he didn’t think they were under any special pressure.
PHOTO: AFP
Two North Korean coaches gave a little laugh as journalists asked about the political situation, then waved them off while repeatedly saying “no comment.”
There’s been no evidence of any animosity between the delegations since the shelling started on Tuesday on the island of Yeonpyeong, which houses South Korean military installations and a small civilian population.
Manuel Silverio, the Olympic Council of Asia’s media committee chairman, urged both sides to remain at the Games, which bring together more than 10,000 athletes from 45 countries. Both Korean teams have said there were no plans to quit.
Just hours after the violence in Korea, archers from the two countries stood side-by-side on the medal podium on Tuesday evening.
South Korea’s Yun Ok-hee won gold in the women’s individual competition, beating Cheng Ming of China in the final, with Kwon Un-sil of North Korea securing the bronze.
Yun walked over to Kwon with the South Korean flag draped over her shoulders after winning the competition and the North Korean gave her a friendly pat on the back.
At that stage, Kwon claimed she didn’t know anything about the skirmish.
“I just try to do my best in my performance. I don’t pay attention to or care about the situation,” Kwon said through a translator. “My goal at this Asian Games and my only goal was to win the gold medal ... It is not only for my own aspirations but also for our great leader.”
After the news conference, Yun told South Korea’s Yonhap news agency that at least regarding archery, the Korean athletes “have always been on good terms.”
“I was hoping Un-sil would reach the gold medal match and when she ended up in the bronze medal contest, I was cheering for her,” Yun said. “In archery, we always say hello to each other and talk to each other.”
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