Washington – The participation of U.S. athletes in the 2018 Olympic Games in South Korea’s Pyeongchang is still an “open question” against the backdrop of the North Korea-related tensions in the region, Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said.
“There is an open question, I have not heard anything about that but I do know that in the talks that we have, whether it’s Jerusalem or whether it’s North Korea, it is always about how do we protect the U.S. citizens in the area,” Haley said Wednesday in an interview with Fox News.
Answering a question about uncertainty surrounding the participation of U.S. athletes in the international sports event held on the Korean Peninsula, she said Washington would continue monitoring the situation in the region in order to ensure protection of its athletes.
The situation on the Korean Peninsula has escalated since the beginning of the year over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile tests conducted in violation of the UN Security Council’s resolution.
The most recent ballistic missile test was conducted by Pyongyang in late November.
The 2018 Olympic Winter Games will take place in Pyeongchang from Feb. 9 to Feb. 25.
The South Korean resort city is located just 50 miles south of the demilitarised zone dividing the two Koreans.