The South Korean Olympic delegation for Paris comprises 144 athletes, about 60% of the 232-member team sent to the Tokyo Games in 2021. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
PARIS, Jul. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – A Japanese right-wing commentator has drawn attention for his criticism of South Korea’s reduced Olympic presence at the Paris Games, characterizing it as symbolic of the nation’s decline.
Katsumi Murotani, a prominent conservative figure in Japan, penned a column in the Weekly Fuji, a sister publication of the Sankei Shimbun, titled “South Korea’s Limited Paris Olympics Coverage, Team at 60% of Tokyo Olympics Size, Women’s Handball Only Team Sport.”
Murotani argued that a country’s Olympic performance symbolizes national strength in a way distinct from economic or military indicators. He pointed out that South Korean media, typically enthusiastic about sports, has given comparatively little coverage to the Paris Olympics.
The South Korean Olympic delegation for Paris comprises 144 athletes, about 60% of the 232-member team sent to the Tokyo Games in 2021. Murotani interpreted this reduction as “symbolic of a sinking Korea,” using a play on words in Japanese.
The commentator also expressed dissatisfaction with South Korean media coverage during the Tokyo Olympics. He claimed that Korean outlets were overly focused on radiation concerns in Japan months before the Games, contrasting this with the current lack of preview articles about Paris venues.
“Has the stage shifted from Japan, a country they felt compelled to criticize, to France, a cultural powerhouse they must respect?” Murotani remarked sarcastically.
He further noted that South Korea has set a goal of winning five gold medals, suggesting this modest target might be a strategy to create a narrative of success. “Even if they win a few medals in niche sports like taekwondo, Koreans themselves probably realize they’re no longer a sports powerhouse,” Murotani asserted.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
