North Korea warned it is "willing to walk away from participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics after taking umbrage at recent fulsome praise made by its southerly neighbor" in relation to U.S. President Donald Trump, according to John Glenday of THE DRUM. Pyongyang's threatened snub "could derail the hermit state's tentative steps into the outside world by allowing its athletes to compete but politics, as ever, threatens to interfere." At issue are remarks made by South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who "went out of his way to praise Trump," saying that the president deserved "big credit" for fostering talks between the two nations (THE DRUM, 1/15).
HOME STRETCH: YONHAP reported the torch for PyeongChang 2018 will reach the host region of Gangwon Province "next week," organizers said Monday. Starting in Cheorwon County on Sunday, the torch will travel through 18 major cities and towns in the eastern province before reaching the host county of PyeongChang for the Feb. 9 opening ceremony (YONHAP, 1/15).
OLYMPIC OVERTURES: In Seoul, Kim Bo-eun reported North Korea will send a 140-member orchestral music troupe to the PyeongChang Games, the unification ministry said Monday. The agreement came following an inter-Korean meeting at Tongilgak, on the northern side of the truce village of Panmunjeom. Pyongyang asked that its delegation travel over land, passing through Panmunjeom, the ministry said. The troupe will perform in Seoul and Gangneung, Gangwon Province (KOREA TIMES, 1/15).
