The International Olympics Committee’s (IOC) decision on Wednesday to suspend North Korea for its absence from the Tokyo Games appeared to shut down hopes for sports diplomacy at next year’s Winter Games in Beijing.

But experts told NK News that the penalty could actually prove a boon for efforts to engage Pyongyang — if South Korea and China can find a way to bring North Korea back on board for the Games.

“One question would be whether the ban means that North Korean athletes cannot participate at all, or whether they can participate, but only under the Olympic flag