Seoul says Samsung phone giveaway at Olympics may violate North Korea sanctions | NK News
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September 28, 2026Sep 28, 2026

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Seoul says Samsung phone giveaway at Olympics may violate North Korea sanctions

But IOC denies report that DPRK athletes also received $1200 smartphones given to athletes from all other countries

While not every athlete can win a medal, all the Olympians competing at the ongoing Paris Games were supposed to take home a brand-new Galaxy Z Flip 6 smartphone valued at some $1,200 a piece, courtesy of event sponsor Samsung.

But Seoul officials raised concerns on Thursday that the promotional giveaway by the South Korean tech giant may run afoul of U.N. sanctions. The reason: The recipients reportedly include the 14 North Korean athletes competing in Paris.

“There is a possibility that this violates sanctions against North Korea,” a unification ministry official told reporters. “However, the final answer on whether