Hwang Sunghee -
Tight security awaits North Korea’s 230 cheerleaders who will make this South Korean mountain resort their home-from-home from Wednesday during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
Flags of welcome are already flying here for the North Korean cheerleaders — mostly elite, attractive females in their 20s — who will arrive in a convoy of buses after crossing the world’s most heavily fortified border.
The cheer squads are leading a North Korean charm offensive in the South following a diplomatic thaw between the two rivals. North Korea’s ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-Nam will attend the opening ceremony on Friday.
Surrounded by mountains in the sparsely populated town of Inje, the Inje Speedium Hotel, near to a 3.9-km auto racing track, is seen as an ideal spot for enforcing tight security while at the same time maintaining close surveillance on the large group of Northerners.
Ageing low-rise apartments and army bases dot the rural town where a dozen South Korean flags wave in the breeze against the chilly weather in the remote spot around 120 km from the Olympic stadium in Pyeongchang.
Banners saying “We welcome the North’s cheerleaders” flutter on the roads near the resort town.
But the hotel stands empty — all guests had checked out as of Monday and the hotel is accepting no other reservations for its 252 rooms until the end of the Olympics, a staff member at the front desk said.
Foreign news outlets are banned in the North and the hotel said it is still making adjustments ahead of the arrival of its special guests.
“There have been some requests (from the North) for security but everything is being handled by the government,” Kim Tae-Eun said.
The near two-hour commute from the hotel to the Olympic venues will offer the North Koreans a glimpse of the landscape of one of the world’s most technologically advanced countries.
A tunnel that stretches 11 km through the mountains features a high-tech sound and light show to entertain travellers.
The tunnel, which connects Inje with neighbouring Yangyang country, is a hallmark of southern technology, serenading drivers and providing a multi-coloured light show.
Residents of Inje say they are worried the heavy police presence will disrupt their business but are welcoming the northern visitors.
“It’s great that Inje is contributing to the peacemaking between the North and the South,” said Hwang In-Soo, who owns a cafe near the resort. — AFP
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