North Korean Olympic medalists under Kim Jong Un’s wrath for ‘unpatriotic’ smiles with South Korean rivals

North Korean table-tennis players Kim Kum-yong and Ri Jong-sik faced investigation after their Olympic victory photos with South Korean athletes caused controversy in North Korea. The regime, known for strictly controlling foreign interactions, subjected them to a month-long ideological assessment to realign with state-approved values. The images, which captured a rare moment of sportsmanship between athletes from warring nations, went viral worldwide.