New documentary on sports in N. Korea set for Sept. release

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, April 8 (Yonhap) -- A new documentary shedding light on sports culture in North Korea will premiere worldwide in September, its producers said Monday.

The Olympic Channel, the over-the-top Internet television service operated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said its original, untitled production is currently being filmed in Pyongyang. Two Olympic athletes, British snowboarder Aimee Fuller and Swiss freestyle skier Mirjam Jaeger, will be the primary narrators.

In a press release, the Olympic Channel said the two athletes ran the Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon, colloquially known as the Pyongyang Marathon, on Sunday, and they'll talk about their experience with the local sports culture in the reclusive regime.

North Korea's state media said Sunday that some 1,000 foreigners took part in the annual event, almost double the figure from a year ago.

The marathon was first held in 1981, and foreign amateurs have been able to participate since 2014.

Fuller, who competed at the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics, finished her first marathon in 4:35:34.

"This was my first ever marathon, and I discovered the power of sport in humanizing the unknown," Fuller, 27, was quoted as saying by the Olympic Channel.

Jaeger, 36, who represented Switzerland at Sochi 2014, ran in the 10K race on Sunday.

"It was an amazing and unique experience. I smiled during the whole race, which I have never done before," said Jaeger of her time in North Korea.

Greg Groggel, director of original programming for the Olympic Channel, said, "Our biggest strength is the compassion of our Olympic athletes, which enables us to open doors so that we can bring these powerful stories to worldwide audiences."

Since the beginning of last year, South Korea and North Korea have been actively engaged in sports cooperation and exchanges.

In February 2018, North Korea participated in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, the first Winter Games to take place in South Korea, and the two Koreas assembled a joint team in women's hockey while marching behind the Korean Unification Flag at the Opening Ceremony.

In the ensuing months, the Koreas also competed as one in table tennis, women's basketball, rowing, canoeing and handball at various international events.

In February this year, they announced plans to field joint teams in four sports -- women's basketball, field hockey, judo and rowing -- in the qualifying stage for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. The Koreas are also bidding to co-host the Summer Olympics in 2032.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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