North Korea decides to withdraw from Tokyo Olympics.

North Korea decides to withdraw from Tokyo Olympics.  The North Korean sports ministry said in a statement that it was making the decision in the context of Corona’s health and safety.  But North Korea’s decision has dealt a major blow to the hosting of the Tokyo Olympics.

The decision to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics was made at a meeting of North Korea’s National Olympic Committee on March 25, according to the North Korean sports ministry’s website.  North Korea’s decision has dealt a major blow to South Korea’s efforts to bring the two countries together for peace in the Olympics.

South Korea’s unification ministry on Tuesday expressed regret over North Korea’s decision.

“We have not yet received an official letter from North Korea withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics,” said Tamayo Marukawa, Japan’s Olympic minister.  In the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, the combined teams of South and North Korea participated under one flag.

In ice hockey, the two countries played a combined team.  North Korea had sent a squad of 22 athletes to the Olympics.  In addition, 230 members of a cheering group of government officials, artists, journalists and women were sent.  This time around, South Korea and North Korea were planning to form a single team to bring peace to the two countries, but North Korea’s withdrawal from the Olympics has undermined all of South Korea’s efforts.

North Korea’s withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics has raised hopes  of an Olympic medal for India’s leading female weightlifter Mirabai Chanu.  Mirabai is fourth in the Tokyo Olympic Qualifying Rank with 38698038 points in the 49kg category.  Her closest rival, North Korea’s Ri Song Gum, is third with 4209.4909 points.
At the 2019 World Championships, Ri Song won the bronze medal, beating Chanu.  At that time, Mirabai had lifted 201 kg, while Ri Song had lifted 204 kg.  So now that North Korea has withdrawn from the Tokyo Olympics, Mirabai Chanu’s medal hopes have increased.  Three Chinese weightlifters are in the top-5 in the current Olympic qualifying rankings.