North Korean Cheerleader Caught Clapping U.S. Skaters Told to Cut it Out

A North Korean cheerleader was caught on camera briefly applauding U.S. figure skating pair Alexa Scimeca-Knierim and Chris Knierim at the Winter Olympics—before a colleague quickly told her to stop.

The interaction, which lasts only a few seconds, occurred during a figure skating event on February 15. It provided another bizarre insight into the lives of the young North Korean cheerleader contingent—women who are handpicked to support the country and have fascinated worldwide audiences with their near-robotic, perfectly-synchronized performances in support of North Korean athletes.

The cheerleaders showed up en masse to witness the final performance of North Korean figure skating pair Kim Ju Sik and Ryom Tae Ok, who are perhaps the most successful and most well-known North Korean athletes at the Pyeongchang Olympics. As expected, the cheerleaders greeted the pair’s free skating routine with raucous applause and cheers.

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They were followed on to the ice by the U.S. athletes and, as the arena began clapping the new skaters, one unidentified cheerleader joined in the applause, perhaps mindlessly.

However the cheerleader sitting beside her—among rows of deadpan companions—noticed the apparent breach of team rules. The second cheerleader discreetly elbowed the first a few times in an attempt to remind her of where and who she was, apparently whispering a few words as she put her hands back on her lap.

source: newsweek