The organizers of the Tokyo Olympics recently said fans from outside of Japan will not be able to attend the Games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, North Korea, a country that was expected to send athletes to the Olympics, announced it will not take part in the Games. North Korea said its National Olympic Committee had a meeting in late March and decided not to attend in order to keep its athletes from getting sick. However, a number of international policy experts think the decision is a way to keep the country closed. North Korea said it has controlled the spread of COVID-19 by closing its borders, banning foreign visitors and sending diplomats home. But those who follow North Korea think that may not be true. The country already has a weak medical system because of international economic restrictions that have limited spending on infrastructure. Experts say the closed border is making life in North Korea more difficult than necessary for the average person. Jean H. Lee directs the North Korean program for The Wilson Center, an international policy research center in Washington, D.C. In a tweet, she asked if any other country has announced it would not attend the Olympics. She called the move “a political decision…as much as it is a public health concern.” A spokesperson for the South Korean foreign ministry said there is still time for North Korea to reconsider its decision.
Title: North Korea Withdraws From the Tokyo Olympics
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/C.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='North Korea Withdraws From the Tokyo Olympics' data-article-id='5539'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='13042'>The organizers of the Tokyo Olympics recently said fans from outside of Japan will not be able to attend the Games because of the COVID-19 pandemic.</span> <span data-start-time='13042' data-end-time='23104'>Now, North Korea, a country that was expected to send athletes to the Olympics, announced it will not take part in the Games.</span> <span data-start-time='23104' data-end-time='35458'>North Korea said its National Olympic Committee had a meeting in late March and decided not to attend in order to keep its athletes from getting sick.</span> <span data-start-time='35458' data-end-time='44271'>However, a number of international policy experts think the decision is a way to keep the country closed. </span> <span data-start-time='44271' data-end-time='56021'>North Korea said it has controlled the spread of COVID-19 by closing its borders, banning foreign visitors and sending diplomats home. </span> <span data-start-time='56021' data-end-time='62271'>But those who follow North Korea think that may not be true. </span> <span data-start-time='62271' data-end-time='73021'>The country already has a weak medical system because of international economic restrictions that have limited spending on infrastructure.</span> <span data-start-time='73021' data-end-time='82021'>Experts say the closed border is making life in North Korea more difficult than necessary for the average person.</span> <span data-start-time='82021' data-end-time='93000'>Jean H. Lee directs the North Korean program for The Wilson Center, an international policy research center in Washington, D.C.</span> <span data-start-time='93000' data-end-time='99479'>In a tweet, she asked if any other country has announced it would not attend the Olympics. </span> <span data-start-time='99479' data-end-time='106688'>She called the move “a political decision…as much as it is a public health concern.”</span> <span data-start-time='106688' data-end-time='115667'>A spokesperson for the South Korean foreign ministry said there is still time for North Korea to reconsider its decision.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/C.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=17187 data-hint-location='13042' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/what_is_an_athlete.wav'>What is an athlete?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice=' A person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/a_person_who_is_really_good_at_sleeping.wav'><span>A person who is really good at sleeping</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/_a_person_who_is_trained_in_or_good_at_sports_games_or_exercises_that_require_physical_skill_and_strength.wav'><span> A person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/a_person_who_officiates_a_sport.wav'><span>A person who officiates a sport</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/a_person_who_is_in_charge_of_a_country.wav'><span>A person who is in charge of a country</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=17188 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/where_are_the_olympics_being_held.wav'>Where are the Olympics being held?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Tokyo'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/prague.wav'><span>Prague</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/tokyo.wav'><span>Tokyo</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/atlanta.wav'><span>Atlanta</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/lima.wav'><span>Lima</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=17189 data-hint-location='44271' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/north_korea_said_it_has_controlled_the_spread_of_covid19_by_closing_its_borders_banning_foreign_visitors_and__blank_.wav'>North Korea said it has controlled the spread of COVID-19 by closing its borders, banning foreign visitors and <span class='blank'>sending diplomats home</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='sending diplomats home'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/sending_diplomats_home.wav'><span>sending diplomats home</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/eating_a_fruitheavy_diet.wav'><span>eating a fruit-heavy diet</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/keeping_a_balanced_budget.wav'><span>keeping a balanced budget</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5010/avoiding_all_sports.wav'><span>avoiding all sports</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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