Journalists are considering security during the Olympics

In this Feb. 3, 2017 photo, a man walks by the Olympic rings with a sign of 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. With five months to go before the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, organizers are desperate to sell more tickets in a country where the Games have failed to dominate national conversation amid an upheaval in domestic politics and a torrent of North Korean missile launches. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Fear of an attack during the South Korea Olympics next year, has Norwegian journalists considering tighter security measures.

 

“We are assessing the situation on a continuous basis and will follow the advice given,” says Janne Fredriksen, editor-in-chief of the NRK Sport to NTB.

In February, the Winter Olympics will begin in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang, located about 80 kilometers from the border to North Korea.

The escalating conflict between the two countries, which is still formally at war, has had other countries like France to consider keeping their olympians at home. Should Norway decide to do the same, NRK journalists will also be home, says Fredriksen.

“We must take this very seriously,” she said, but emphasizes at the same time that NRK plans to travel down.

Following advice from PST
The Olympic delegation has announced that they will follow the advice of the Police Security Service (PST).

So will TV 2, which state that they have extensive experience of sending employees to conflict and crisis areas.

“We handle such situations with great seriousness and thorough preparation.”

When it comes to security and preparedness issues, we always focus on the advice, recommendations and demands we receive from local authorities and organizers, as well as Norwegian foreign authorities and PST, announced the channel’s PR and media director Jan-Petter Dahl.

He refers to the Olympic Games in Russia and Brazil as examples of this.

“In front of the Sochi and the Olympic Games in Rio, we had close and good dialogue with these agencies and prepared our own contingency plans in line with the information we received. We will also do this at this time, “says Dahl.

Missiles launching
In recent months, North Korea has carried out several missile launches and trials, including the country claiming to have a hydrogen bomb. In addition, the chatter of war between leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump has strongly escalated.

Stein Tønnesson at the Peace Research Institute, PRIO, an expert on peace and security in East Asia, stated to Aftenposten that there is little reason to get involved in such a war.

“On the other hand, there may be reason to fear a terrorist act from North Korea, unless the situation has calmed down by the time for the Olympics,” said senior researcher.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today