Secretive society
In the six decades since the Korean War reached a jittery ceasefire, the North has kept itself largely shuttered.
Recent sparring between leader Kim Jong Un and President Trump, the men trading threats of nuclear war, has only heightened curiosity about the reclusive nation.
“When most people think of North Korea, we think of Kim Jong Un, rockets, missile launches,” said Peter Kim, an American-born assistant professor at Kookmin University in Seoul. “To put our hands around other things beyond what we see in the media, it’s really next to impossible.”
No one expected North Korea to participate in the Games, not until Kim Jong Un made conciliatory remarks toward South Korea in a New Year’s Day speech. Hurried negotiations led to a deal by which the North sent a small contingent of athletes, coaches and officials.
The agreement also included a cheering squad, which could be seen entering the country in a convoy of buses moving slowly across the Tong-il Bridge.
Though skeptics called it a ploy by Kim to appear statesmanlike and engaged with the international community, the arrival of the North Korean squad generated a worldwide buzz.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that, as long as North Korea is here, the whole international community is watching to see what clues it might pick up,” Peter Kim said.
A week into the Games, clues have been limited to and drabs.
The official Olympics website, which includes information on every competitor, is an example. Many of the entries include brief personal histories, favorite quotes and lists of hobbies such as going to the movies, spending time with friends, playing computer games.
The North Koreans tend to offer few, if any, details. Hobbies are often described in a single word. Music. Reading. Sports.
The PRK team — its Olympic designation, for People’s Republic of Korea — has been pleasant and gracious but reticent to speak publicly, often hurrying through the mixed zone where athletes face the media after competitions. When women’s hockey player and torchbearer Jong Su Hyon attended a news conference early on, reporters were given an unusual those dribs