North Korean cheerleaders appear at South Korean men's game
Ice Hockey – Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics – Men Preliminary Round Match – Czech Republic v South Korea - Gangneung Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea – February 15, 2018 - North Korean cheerleaders attend the Czech Republic Vs. South Korea game. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
GANGNEUNG, South Korea (Reuters) - North Korea's cheerleading squad made an unexpected appearance at the South Korean men's hockey game against the Czech Republic on Thursday, marking their first attendance at an Olympic event not featuring a North Korean athlete.
At least 150 cheerleaders filled an entire section of the Gangneung Hockey Centre arena, directly behind one of the goals.
Sporting white, red and blue outfits and red and white beanies, they promptly broke out into song, waving white and blue unification flags.
Ice Hockey – Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics – Men Preliminary Round Match – Czech Republic v South Korea - Gangneung Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea – February 15, 2018 - North Korean cheerleaders attend the Czech Republic Vs. South Korea game. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
They were largely drowned out by South Korean rapper San E, who was delivering a pre-game performance.
The cheerleaders have been a fixture at games played by the unified Korean women's ice hockey team, which featured several players from the North.
But the men's team was never integrated, and includes only athletes from South Korea plus half a dozen Canadians who have been playing hockey in the country for years and become South Korean citizens.
Ice Hockey – Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics – Men's Preliminary Round Match - Czech Republic v South Korea - Gangneung Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea – February 15, 2018 - North Korean cheerleaders attend the Czech Republic vs South Korea game. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
(Reporting by Dan Burns, editing by Ed Osmond)
Ice Hockey – Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics – Men Preliminary Round Match – Czech Republic v South Korea - Gangneung Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea – February 15, 2018 - North Korean cheerleaders attend the Czech Republic Vs. South Korea game. REUTERS/Brian SnyderIce Hockey – Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics – Men Preliminary Round Match – Czech Republic v South Korea - Gangneung Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea – February 15, 2018 - North Korean cheerleaders attend the Czech Republic Vs. South Korea game. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-HoonIce Hockey – Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics – Men Preliminary Round Match – Czech Republic v South Korea - Gangneung Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea – February 15, 2018 - North Korean cheerleaders attend the Czech Republic Vs. South Korea game. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-HoonIce Hockey – Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics – Men Preliminary Round Match – Czech Republic v South Korea - Gangneung Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea – February 15, 2018 - North Korean cheerleaders attend the Czech Republic Vs. South Korea game. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-HoonIce Hockey – Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics – Men Preliminary Round Match – Czech Republic v South Korea - Gangneung Hockey Centre, Gangneung, South Korea – February 15, 2018 - North Korean cheerleaders attend the Czech Republic Vs. South Korea game. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
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