How much did South Korea spend to welcome Jong-un's sister?
South Korea spent more than $220,000 to host President Kim Jong Un's sister and the North Korean delegation at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Reuters quoted a South Korean government official as saying on February 22 that the country spent more than 240 million won (US$223,237) on the three-day visit of the North Korean delegation, covering accommodation and travel for the four members of the delegation and their 18 staff.
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| Ms. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean President Kim Jong Un. Photo: Express |
Kim Yo Jong and other North Korean officials are staying at the five-star Walkerhill Hotel on the eastern bank of Seoul. They travel between Seoul and the Olympic venue in Pyeongchang, where they are treated to meals at high-end hotels.
Specifically, the Korean Ministry of Unification spent about 130 million won on accommodation, 5 million won on travel and food.
Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has spent nearly $50,000 to train and prepare North Korea’s 22 Olympic athletes, or $2,300 each, on top of the rest of the North Korean delegation, which includes a 229-member cheering squad and a 137-member band.
Earlier, the South Korean Unification Ministry said it had approved a record budget of about $2.6 million to host 418 North Korean delegates who did not appear in the sports competition – equivalent to nearly $6,200 each.