7. North Korean Participation

Despite high tensions between the two countries, North Korea participated in the Winter Olympics this year and marched with South Korea in the opening and closing ceremonies. The two nations also had a joint women’s hockey team composed of both North and South Korean athletes. During the opening ceremony, the athletes carried the Korean Unification Flag which depicts the Korean peninsula. However, during the closing ceremony, most Korean athletes opted to carry the flag of their respective countries. The games ended with South Korea’s presidential office releasing a statement which claimed that North Korea desires to hold talks with the U.S. and South Korea in the hopes of improving relations between the countries.