North Korea-South Korea Olympics selfie, explained: How Chinese table tennis player organized a stunning 'unity' photo

Sports are the great unifier, and there's no better display of athletic camaraderie than the Olympics. Even bitter diplomatic relations can be smoothed over during the 15-day competition, especially when medals are involved.

North and South Korean table tennis players joined a selfie on the medal podium of the mixed doubles competition after winning silver and bronze, respectively. Joined by the gold medal-winning Chinese athletes, the photo showed exactly how sports bring people together—even if their two countries remain at odds.

Despite tensions at home, both the North and South Korean athletes put their differences aside to celebrate a mutual achievement, and viewers are relishing in the touching moment.

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North Korea-South Korea Olympics selfie, explained

North Korea earned the silver medal in the mixed doubles table tennis competition Tuesday, marking the country's first Olympic medal since Rio in 2016. South Korea took home bronze and China won gold, setting all three nations up for a medal ceremony.

Podium selfies, while not allowed at previous Olympics, are permitted this year with the use of a Samsung phone due to the company's partnership with the Games. South Korea's Lim Jong-hoon took out a phone on the podium after all of the athletes had received their medals and snapped a selfie of all of them.

The harmonious photo comes amidst heightened tensions between North and South Korea. Since May, North Korea has been sending balloons filled with trash to their southern counterparts, disrupting flights and prompting massive clean-up efforts.

In response, South Korea has resumed sending loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts across the border. The two countries have never signed a peace treaty, only reaching an uneasy truce since their war in the 1950s—which means they technically are still in a state of war.

The context makes this selfie even more significant, as the two teams exchanged congratulations and shook hands during the ceremony.

MORE: Why North Korea is back in the Games after 2022 ban

What country is PRK at the Olympics?

North Korea's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, abbreviated as DPRK. For Olympic purposes, the country is referred to as PRK, removing the "D" to accommodate the three letter limit for the IOC country code.

South Korea, most often referred to as Korea, is abbreviated as KOR at the Olympics.