ABSTRACT
The 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang was arguably one of the most politicised sport mega-events ever. After almost two years of escalating political tensions, an improvement in relations between North and South Korea became a genuine objective. This sporting competition offered a diplomatic venue wherein inter-Korean dialogue could take place. In this respect, the PyeongChang Winter Olympics presents a classic example of the intersection between world politics and a global sporting event. This chapter considers relations between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) in three different stages of the Winter Olympics: (1) the bid for the event; (2) the preparation for the Olympics; and (3) the Games themselves. The political shift from a sense of resentment to one of reconciliation between North and South Korea was the most notable diplomatic story of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang. Usually, it is a global political circumstance that affects the nature of international sport. In PyeongChang, however, it is possible for a sporting competition to trigger political change. The diplomatic significance of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games lies in this unique character of politics in North and South Korea.
