North And South Korea's Warm Relations Over Ice Hockey

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Published January 17, 2018 at 11:06 AM EST

Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

South Korean soccer fans cheer while waving "unification flags" depicting a borderless Korean Peninsula before a game between North and South Korea in 2002. Athletes from the two nations will march under the flag at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.

When North and South Korean athletes march out to the opening ceremony at next month’s Winter Olympics, they’ll do so under a single flag. And the two nations will field a women’s ice hockey team together as well.

It’s a big diplomatic step, but as CNN reports, not everyone is excited about the development.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono called on the international community to be clear-eyed about North Korea’s motivations for participating in the talks, which have been hailed by some as the most significant thaw in ties in years.

“I believe that North Korea wants to buy some time to continue their nuclear and missile programs,” Kono said at the meeting. “It’s not the time to ease pressure towards North Korea.”

GUESTS

Tom Goldman, Sports correspondent, NPR

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