North Korea, South Korea Form Single Olympic Women's Hockey Team

North Korea, South Korea Form Single Olympic Women's Hockey Team

Ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympics, North and South Korea have made the astonishing announcement to compete under a single flag.

Jan 17, 2018 by Hunter Sharpless
North Korea, South Korea Form Single Olympic Women's Hockey Team

Ahead of next month's Winter Games in Pyeongchang, rivals North and South Korea will form a joint Olympic team marching under a single "unification flag," according to the Associated Press

Highlighting the announcement is a joint women's ice hockey team, which according to a January 15 Reuters report was "the first (sport) to be singled out" as a possible joint team. Although some are welcoming the combined Olympic squad, others — including players on South Korea's women's hockey team — are not taking to the idea well.

"Some South Korean athletes are 'furious' at proposals to form joint teams with North Koreans, highlighting a broader lack of enthusiasm for some of the government’s peace-making plans." -Reuters' Josh Smith

The team, interestingly, will include one American — Marissa Brandt, who was adopted by a Minnesota family from South Korea. Brandt's sister Hannah will be competing for Team USA. Marissa, a defenseman for Korea, played her college hockey at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. 

Although the two countries' athletes have marched together as recently as the early 2000s, they have not competed as a joint team since 1991.

The announcement comes at a time of renewed discussions between the two countries, although South Korean president Moon Jae-in's recent praise of American president Donald Trump drew the ire of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Additionally, the AP notes that critics of the joint Olympic team see the decision as a move to undermine U.S.-South Korea relations.