Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is calling for a U.S. boycott of the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea if North Korea is allowed to participate in the Games.
“Allowing Kim Jong Un’s North Korea to participate in #WinterOlympics would give legitimacy to the most illegitimate regime on the planet,” Graham tweeted Monday. “I’m confident South Korea will reject this absurd overture and fully believe that if North Korea goes to the Winter Olympics, we do not.”
Allowing Kim Jong Un’s North Korea to participate in #WinterOlympics would give legitimacy to the most illegitimate regime on the planet.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 1, 2018
I’m confident South Korea will reject this absurd overture and fully believe that if North Korea goes to the Winter Olympics, we do not.
Graham was responding to Kim Jong Un’s announcement, during his New Year’s address, that he would begin a discussion with South Korean officials to send a delegation to PyeongChang for the games.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in welcomed North Korea’s desire for dialogue and participation in the games. He reportedly described Kim’s remarks "as a response to our proposal to turn the Pyeongchang Olympic Games into an epoch-making opportunity to improve inter-Korean relations and establish peace."
Moon says South Korea will "quickly come up with follow-up measures for the speedy restoration of South-North Korean dialogue and realize the North Korean delegation's participation in the Pyeongchang Olympics."
Sen. Graham had previously called for a U.S. boycott of the 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi over Russia granting asylum to the infamous former NSA contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden.
President Trump commented on North Korea's new willingness for dialogue Tuesday, tweeting that pressures and sanctions are "beginning to have a big impact."
Sanctions and “other” pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018