[News Today] SAMSUNG PHONES FOR NK OLYMPIANS

[LEAD]
At the Paris Olympics, official sponsor Samsung Electronics provided all participating athletes with custom-made smartphones. Concerns arose over a potential violation of UN sanctions if the North Korean delegation received these devices. The International Olympic Committee later confirmed that North Korean athletes didn't receive the phones.

[REPORT]
Samsung Electronics provided this special edition Galaxy Z Flip 6 to all the athletes at the Paris Olympics.

A media report claimed that the North Korean Olympic Committee also received this gold-colored smartphone featuring the Olympic logo.

Smartphone is an embargo goods banned by U.N. sanctions.

In the wake of North Korea's launching of the Hwasong-15 ballistic missile in 2017, the UNSC adopted a sanction banning smartphones and other electronic devices from going into North Korea.

The South Korean government said if North Korean athletes had received Samsung smartphones, it could be in violation of this sanction.

Lee Jae-woong/ Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
It's important to keep the banned item from entering N. Korea. The gov’t is taking necessary diplomatic measures in collaboration with int’l community.

After checking up on details the International Olympic Committee announced that the North Korean team did not receive Samsung smartphones.

Back in 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, North Korea had also refused to accept smartphones when the sanctions compelled them to return the devices before their return home.

North Korean sanctions were not taken into consideration at this year's Olympic Games and the IOC didn't see anything wrong with it, but the North Korean delegation apparently refused to receive the phones beforehand.