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Smartphones no obligation to return them later”

Team Samsung Galaxy members Shin Yu-bin, a national table tennis team member, Viktor Axelsen, a Danish badminton team member, and Alejandra Orozco Rosa, a Mexican diving team member, are taking a selfie with the Galaxy Z Flip6 Olympic Edition at the Samsung Olympic Experience Center in the athletes' village at the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, France on August 25 (local time).

It has been confirmed that North Korean athletes also received Samsung smartphones that were issued to all athletes participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on the 8th that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stated that “the North Korean National Olympic Committee (NOC) received (Samsung) phones for their athletes.”

Samsung Electronics, an official sponsor of the IOC, provided specially-made Galaxy Z Flick 6 phones and cases to all 17,000 athletes participating in the Paris Olympics.

Athletes from each country participating in the Paris Olympics can visit the Samsung Olympic Experience Center in the athletes’ village to receive Samsung smartphones, but North Korea claims that NOC officials took all the smartphones given to the athletes.

However, it has not been confirmed whether the Samsung smartphones were actually given to the athletes.

In addition, there is a possibility that the provision of Samsung smartphones may be a violation of sanctions against North Korea. The UN Security Council prohibits the import and export of electronic devices to North Korea through Resolution 2397. This is because electronic devices are dual-use products that can be used for military purposes.

In 2018, the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Organizing Committee decided not to provide Samsung smartphones to North Korean and Iranian athletes due to concerns about violating UN sanctions. Later, the IOC announced that it would provide Samsung smartphones to North Korean athletes on the condition that they be returned before returning to their home country, but North Korea refused to accept them. However, this time, the IOC told RFA that “the North Korean National Olympic Committee, like other national Olympic committees, is not obligated to return (Samsung) phones.” It did not respond to questions about the possibility of violating UN sanctions.