South Korea Backs Beijing Winter Olympic Games Despite US Boycott

© AFP 2023 / NOEL CELISA worker paints a part of a building where the Olympic Rings are located in Shougang Park, one of the sites for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, in December 1, 2021
A worker paints a part of a building where the Olympic Rings are located in Shougang Park, one of the sites for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, in December 1, 2021 - Sputnik International, 1920, 07.12.2021
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - South Korea supports the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics despite Washington's decision to boycott the event diplomatically, South Korean foreign ministry spokesman Choi Yong-sam said on Tuesday.
On Monday, the United States announced its intention not to send any diplomatic or official representation to the upcoming Winter Olympics in China, saying however that US athletes would still participate in the event. China responded by expressing strong dissatisfaction with Washington's decision, promising to take decisive retaliatory actions in this regard.
"Our government has been supporting a successful hosting of the Beijing Winter Olympic," Choi said as quoted by Yonhap News Agency.
The spokesman noted that the US boycott of the event was a pure diplomatic decision. At the same time, Choi stressed that Washington had told South Korea about the decision in advance, but had not asked Seoul to follow its example.
Residents wearing masks pass by propaganda boards promoting the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, Monday, Nov. 22, 2021 - Sputnik International, 1920, 07.12.2021
Kremlin: US Decision on Beijing Olympics Can Hardly Be Called Boycott
The South Korean authorities reportedly believe that the forthcoming Olympic Games will contribute to peace and security, as well as to improving inter-Korean relations and declaring an official end to the 1950-1953 Korean War.
However, according to Choi, the South Korean government have not yet decided whether it would send an official government delegation to the event, the media said.
Beijing has repeatedly urged Washington to stop politicising sports and attempting to undermine the holding of the Winter Olympics, noting that such an attitude damages the dialogue between the two countries.
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