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.