North Korea's Winter Olympics Cheerleaders 'Watched By Guards At All Times'

It's common knowledge at this point that the North Korean cheerleaders at this year's Winter Olympics are under strict control - but it was unknown just how heavily guarded they were.

Now it has become clear that the cheerleaders are overseen by guards who do their utmost to protect them interacting with ordinary people, even journalists against Olympic rules.

The Daily Mail has revealed more information about the guards, who protect the cheerleaders at all the events they appear and are given official Olympic accreditation.

The Mail has hinted that the guards' accreditation means that the Olympic committee is 'complicit' in the lack of freedom the 230 cheerleaders are allowed to have.

CHECK OUT THE NORTH KOREAN CHEERLEADERS IN ACTION:

"The guards are unarmed, having had to give up their guns under Olympic rules, but they are highly trained in martial arts and are members of elite units in their native North Korea," the Mail reports.

According to the newspaper, the gaggle of guards is made up from representatives from both North and South Korea, who wear masks to shield their identities.

The newspaper has reported that one of its reporters was prevented from speaking with the leader of the North Korean cheerleaders yesterday during the unified Korean ice hockey team's match with Japan.

When the reporter tried to approach the leader to ask questions and offer food and drinks, a masked guard reportedly told them: "Move on, move on. You must go now."

The guards' crackdown on contact with the cheerleaders is against Olympic rules which allow reporters to speak freely with officials at Olympic venues.

As the cheerleaders are part of the official North Korean delegation, the press - in theory - should be allowed to speak with them. Is there any surprise that this isn't the case in practice?

PA

Critics of the cheerleaders say that their cheery image during games is covering up the true reality of the brutal North Korean regime, calling them a 'charm offensive' or a propaganda arm.

The women are subject to long coach journeys to and from their accommodation at the Inje Speedium, an hour and a half from the Winter Games' main hub in Pyeongchang. They also go for meals double-file, always under observation.

It's understood that the North Korean government are keen to keep a close eye on the cheerleaders, after former North Korean cheerleader Han Seo-Hee defected to the South in 2006.

Topics: SPORT, News, olympic games, Winter Olympics, North Korea

Chris Ogden

Chris Ogden is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from the University of East Anglia with degrees in English Literature and Creative Writing before completing his NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism. Chris has previously written for the independent culture magazine The Skinny, among other publications.

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