Advertisement

North Korea reportedly won’t let its Olympians accept free Samsung phones

Samsung provided all 11,000 Olympic athletes with free smartphones, but North Koreas Olympians won't get their gift. (Getty Images)
Samsung provided all 11,000 Olympic athletes with free smartphones, but North Korea’s Olympians won’t get their gift. (Getty Images)

Medal count | Olympic schedule | Olympic news

Upon arriving at the Olympic Village, athletes of all countries are treated to a plethora of perks courtesy of the Games’ many sponsors.

Other than the free all-you-can-eat McDonald’s, this year’s most notable gift is a special Rio-branded Galaxy S7 smartphone, courtesy of Samsung.

Unfortunately though, not all athletes were able to pick up the phone, which retails for $850.

[Related: Olympic diver scores zero for back flop]

According to a report from Radio Free Asia, North Korean officials collected the phones that were to be given out to the country’s 31 athletes. No official reason was provided, but an IOC press official speculated that the phones were confiscated because of concerns that athletes would gain access to the Samsung exhibition in Rio. Samsung is a South Korean electronics company, and given that North Korea still regards its southern neighbor as a sworn enemy, it makes sense that officials wouldn’t want to give their athletes a look at Samsung products.

Of course, the North Korean dictatorship is also infamous for limiting citizens’ access to the outside world, and smartphones don’t really roll with that policy.

Gold medalists embed banner
Gold medalists embed banner