Is This The Reason Why South Korea Wants Russian President Putin At The Olympic Games?

© Sputnik/ Aleksey Nikolskyi

Sputnik: Guarantor of Olympic Peace: South Korea Wants Putin in Pyeongchang

The IOC’s decision to ban Russia from the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea could dash Seoul’s hopes to use President Vladimir Putin’s presence at the Games as a means of preventing any possible confrontation with North Korea, local media reports say.

Many South Koreans worry that the loss of Russian spectators at the Games could be a big blow to the Winter Olympics, which have historically attracted fewer attendees than the Summer Games. Even more importantly, without Putin in attendance the new South Korean government would find it hard to try to mend fences with Pyongyang.

Russia’s absence at the Games would be a blow to the Olympics of Peace concept promoted by South Korean President Moon Jae-in who believes that support from Russia, which has close ties with Pyongyang, is absolutely indispensable.

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WNU Editor:  I doubt that the North Koreans are going to do something stupid during the winter Olympics in South Korea. But I can understand the sentiment that maybe having Putin there would make some people feel comfortable that maybe nothing bad will happen.