Asian Games 2018: Jakarta & Palembang, Aug 18-Sept 2

Unified Korean team are genuine hope, not gimmick

Women basketballers a potent symbol for peace, reconciliation and unification on peninsula

Unified Korea's Jang Mi Gyong (right, a North Korean) and team-mate Kim Han-byul, from the South, defending against India's Madhu Kumari in the women's basketball preliminary Group A match. The Koreans won 104-54.
Unified Korea's Jang Mi Gyong (right, a North Korean) and team-mate Kim Han-byul, from the South, defending against India's Madhu Kumari in the women's basketball preliminary Group A match. The Koreans won 104-54. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

On court, if you've never seen them, you can't tell Ro Suk Yong, 76kg from Lim Yung-hui, 75kg. Can't tell which of these women, in the same team, grew up to different flags. Can't tell which three women in the Unified Korea team are from the North because in the profiles on the official website only their pictures are missing.

But if you consider it, it's appropriate that you can't distinguish North from South because surely that's the very idea of this team. That essentially they are the same. That when No. 12 passes to No. 35, who scores in the first few seconds, this isn't a peaceful North-South exchange. It's just fine basketball.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 21, 2018, with the headline Unified Korean team are genuine hope, not gimmick. Subscribe