Table Tennis Selfie May Haunt North Korean Players

At the time, it was hailed by NPR as an example of "selfie diplomacy" and later chosen by People as one of the best sportsmanship moments from the Olympics. But a selfie featuring two North Korean table tennis players may have landed both in hot water back home, reports the Korea Times. Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong posed for the photo after taking a surprise silver medal in mixed doubles. South Korea's Lim Jong-hoon snapped the image, which also included a South Korean teammate and the two Chinese gold medalists.

The Daily NK reports that the North Korean pair has been grilled for "grinning" in the photo next to athletes from the rival South, though it remains unclear what their punishments will be—that might depend on their response. Athletes "who interacted with foreign competitors, such as by taking selfies, must express strong remorse during self-criticism sessions to avoid political or administrative punishment," per the Korea Times. North Korean athletes typically undergo what's known as an "ideological assessment" after taking part in international competitions, and the process takes about a month. (More North Korea stories.)