„I just showed up with my flag and my face.“
Ever since the first day of Olympic competition in Pyeongchang, South Korea, media outlets have been raving over the North Korean cheerleaders.
The women, dressed alike and chanting in unison, have cheered on the united Korean team in multiple events every day of the games — and the hockey game that pitted Korea against Japan was no exception.
During the game Wednesday, the cheerleading section had a bit of a shake-up as a young man who looked a lot like North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un strolled onto the scene, waving a flag.
ABC News reported:
Some cheerleaders immediately averted their gaze as the impersonator, who later only identified himself as Howard, smiled and waved to crowds who came to watch a unified Korean team play Japan at the Pyeongchang Games.
“They are playing a good game, they scored one goal. As a president, it’s all I can ask for,” Howard said, shortly after plain-clothed officials from South Korea’s National Counterterrorism Centre moved him away from the cheerleaders, who he said had been doing a very good job.
“I mean I trained them by myself so, of course, they’re the best in the world,” he said.
Surprise visit from the Kim Jong Un lookalike. Cheerleaders weren’t quite sure what to do. Security guards moved him on. pic.twitter.com/L9Vd5BwAsk
— James Pearson (@pearswick) February 14,2018
At the united Korea vs Japan womens‘ hockey game, an apparent Kim Jong-un impersonator starts dancing in front of North Korean cheerleaders. Apparent employees of the DPRK push him aside. He’s now sitting nearby giving interviews (in English) pic.twitter.com/PeVJYtri5Y
— Vincent Bevins (@Vinncent) February 14,2018
Police have now surrounded and asked the apparent impersonator to come with him, he says his name’s Howard, was just cheering and looks like this, and didn’t commit any crime. Refuses to go with them. South Korea police apparently unsure what to do pic.twitter.com/pGzvV0ufcq
— Vincent Bevins (@Vinncent) February 14,2018
He speaks English with UK accent, no Korean.
They’ve now told him he broke a rule against making political statements. He responds:
“I just showed up with my flag and my face… If you don’t like my face there’s nothing you can do about it, I was born this way.”
— Vincent Bevins (@Vinncent) February 14,2018
N. Korea cheerleaders‘ reaction to Kim Jong Un impersonator pic.twitter.com/WVHQ3wVgAK
— Internet Palace (@InternetPalace) February 15,2018
They’ve now taken him into a room in the hallway and closed the door. pic.twitter.com/x2MT4MAVAj
— Vincent Bevins (@Vinncent) February 14,2018
Seems he was released. Caught him walking out, waving as high school girls laughed. “Cosplay!” they giggled pic.twitter.com/xnFlco2UjC
— Vincent Bevins (@Vinncent) February 14,2018
Howard told reporters that after being “briefly detained,” he had been politely asked to exit the arena — had he actually been in North Korea, however, his impersonation of Kim Jong Un would have been considered blasphemy, and it would likely have resulted in much harsher punishment.
