Korea Enters Under One Flag at PyeongChang 2018

Ever since World War II, the relationship between North and South Korea has been one of the most complicated tensions in modern history. However, world leaders are trying to build peace and this starts at the 23rd Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang County, South Korea. At the opening ceremony, the two countries marched under the Korean Unification Flag, and South Korean president Moon Jae-in watched with Kim Yo-jong, sister of Kim Jong-un, along with Mike Pence, Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, and others. In addition, the two Koreas will be competing with a joint women’s ice hockey team that features the best athletes from the Korean peninsula. The two countries are trying to use the Olympics as an opportunity to build peace, and are working to build a better future.
As a second-generation Korean American, I was very surprised when I first heard the news. Many of my Korean friends and family were equally shocked. However, I, along with many South Koreans and Korean Americans, think that this whole attempt to build relations is purely symbolic. While it is a step forward in terms of relationships, the chances of the two countries actually coming together in other ways is extremely low. While it is a step forward in terms of building relations and putting away the past, there is a lot more to be done if we want to truly have peace.