Sports diplomacy involves the use of sports and sporting events as a means to achieve diplomatic objectives. South Korea actively uses sports diplomacy to improve its international relations. Thus, it can strengthen its international prestige by promoting cultural exchanges with other countries and improving its global image. South Korea started hosting various international sporting events especially in the late 1980s. Using sports diplomacy as a way to interact with North Korea and to facilitate people-to-people diplomacy is one of the most useful methods. Because it is through sports that North Korea can be included in the international community, not for denuclearization.
The 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, was an important moment for inter-Korean relations. North Korea and South Korea decided to march together under a single flag at the opening ceremony. So, in 2018, at a time of high tensions between North Korea and the United States (US), South Korea invited North Korean athletes to participate in the Olympic Games. This step contributed to a broader inter-Korean dialogue and a thaw in North Korea-US relations.[1] In this way, the PyeongChang Winter Olympics paved the way for conciliatory diplomacy and became known as the “peace Olympics”.
In January 2024, both North Korea and Russia did not participate in the Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics. This is important for understanding the change in bilateral relations between North Korea and South Korea. North Korea’s recent spy satellite and nuclear tests have been seen by South Korea as a major threat to the country’s security. Moreover, in early 2024, the Pyongyang administration defined South Korea as an “enemy state”.
In other words, it is no longer possible for North Korea to peacefully participate in the Olympics in a “hostile country”. Especially after the change of government, South Korea has adopted a more pro-US stance, which has irritated North Korea. So far, efforts at inter-Korean diplomatic interaction, including in sports, have continued, but progress has generally been minimal. Several factors, such as geopolitical tensions and the broader political climate, create obstacles to joint initiatives.
In general terms, the Olympics are one of the most useful ways of improving the international image of countries. In this way, the host country’s level of development and socio-cultural structure can be appreciated or criticized for its hospitality. Such events, which are closely followed by the international public, are one of the most important areas of public diplomacy. The PyeongChang Winter Olympics demonstrated that South Korea is in favor of “peaceful diplomacy”. The ongoing Winter Youth Olympics will be effective in reflecting the security and development of the host country to the world.
Gangwon 2024, the fourth edition of the Winter Youth Olympics, kicked off with celebrations in the eastern part of South Korea on Friday, January 19, 2024. Hosted by South Korea, this is the first Winter Youth Olympics to be held outside Europe.[2] A senior official from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) described this event in South Korea as “legacy in action”. Christophe Dubi, Executive Director of the IOC Olympic Games, said at a press conference that South Korea will continue the legendary success of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics at the Gangwon Kuış Youth Olympics.[3]
Sports diplomacy is effective in increasing the recognition of countries. In this context, South Korea has used sport as a diplomatic tool to “spread its ideological superiority over North Korea” and “reshape international perceptions of Korea”. The Sport for International Development (SFD) Movement has become increasingly popular within international development agendas in the twenty-first century. Korea has subsequently incorporated SFD initiatives into its foreign policy and diplomatic plans.[4]
As a result, with the start of the Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics, South Korea’s sports diplomacy is back in the spotlight. Following the previous hosting of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, South Korea has shown that it is in favor of peaceful diplomacy. It did so in particular by inviting North Korea to the event. But the absence of Pyongyang from the 2024 event in Gangwon could signal a shift in South Korean diplomacy. Moreover, Russia, which is known for its success in winter sports, is also absent from this sports organization. In general, Seoul is more focused on improving its social relations with Washington and Western countries.
[1] Michael Koenigs vd., “How Sports Diplomacy United Fans from North and South Korea”, ABC, https://abc7chicago.com/pyeongchang-peace-forum-sports-diplomacy-olympics/11726709/, (Date of Accession: 22.01.2024).
[2] Yoo Jee-ho, “Winter Youth Olympics Opens in S. Korea with Celebration of Youthful Dreams”, Yonhap News Agency, https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240119009400315, (Date of Accession: 22.01.2024).
[3] Yoo Jee-ho, “IOC Official Sees Winter Youth Olympics in S. Korea As ‘Legacy in Action’”, Yonhap News Agency, https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20240118010000315, (Date of Accession: 22.01.2024).
[4] Dongkyu Na-Christine Dallaire, “The Diplomatic Roles Of Korean State-Run Sport For Development Programs”, Sage Journals, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10126902211065337?icid=int.sj-abstract.similar-articles.5, (Date of Accession: 22.01.2024).
