South Korea's table tennis bronze medalist Lim Jong-hoon, right, takes a selfie with Shin Yu-bin of South Korea, second from right, and North Korean medalists during the mixed doubles table tennis medal ceremony at South Paris Arena 4 in Paris, July 30. Captured from social media platform Threads

North Korean table tennis players who took selfies with South Korean star Shin Yu-bin and other medalists during the Paris Olympics on July 30 are reportedly undergoing ideological scrutiny in Pyongyang.

The primary reason cited is that they were seen smiling next to athletes from South Korea, a country considered hostile by North Korea.

According to Daily NK, a media outlet specializing in North Korean affairs, the North's delegation returned to Pyongyang on Aug. 15 and is going through what has been described as an ideological evaluation.

This is a standard procedure for North Koreans who have been exposed to non-communist cultures while abroad. The media outlet said that North Korea views staying in a non-communist country as a form of "exposure to contamination."

The source said the evaluation begins the moment the athletes return home to "cleanse" them as quickly as possible.

South Korea's table tennis medalists Lim Jong-hoon, right, and Shin Yu-bin take a selfie during the mixed doubles table tennis medal ceremony at South Paris Arena 4, July 30, in Paris. Korea Times Photo by Seo Jae-hoon

In hot water for mingling

According to reports, North Korean athletes were instructed by authorities before participating in the Olympics not to interact with South Korean or other foreign athletes. Any confirmed violations of this directive could result in punishment.

In particular, table tennis players Ri Jong-sik and Kim Kum-yong, who won silver medals in the mixed doubles, are reportedly under scrutiny for smiling alongside South Korea's Shin Yu-bin and Lim Jong-hoon.

Kim Kum-yong took a selfie with a smile, while Ri Jong-sik was seen smiling as he looked at other athletes after stepping down from the podium. According to Daily NK, other North Korean athletes are also undergoing a month-long ideological evaluation process.

Shin Yu-bin in action during her bronze medal match against Hina Hayata of Japan in the women's singles event, Aug. 3. Reuters-Yonhap

Only escape is strong self-criticism

North Korean athletes returning from international competitions undergo a three-stage ideological review: first by the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, then by the Ministry of Physical Culture and Sports, and finally by the team itself.

During the team's internal review, athletes are expected to criticize the inappropriate behavior of others or publicly reflect on their own actions.

A high-ranking source indicated that athletes who interacted with foreign competitors, such as by taking selfies, must express strong remorse during self-criticism sessions to avoid political or administrative punishment.

Meanwhile, the image of South Korean and North Korean table tennis players taking a selfie together after winning the bronze and silver medals, respectively, was highlighted by People magazine as one of the top 12 moments showcasing sportsmanship during the Paris Olympics.

People magazine reported that NPR referred to this as "selfie diplomacy," highlighting that it took place during heightened tensions between the two Koreas in recent months. The BBC described it as "a rare encounter that seemed to break down barriers" and questioned whether Pyongyang's leadership had anticipated or approved of this brief moment of unity between the two countries.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.