National flag of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and flag of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are raised at the Team Welcome Ceremony for DPRK in the Gangneung Olympic Village ahead of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, South Korea, on Feb. 8, 2018. (Xinhua/Han Yan)
PYONGYANG, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sunday lashed out at the U.S. government, accusing it of using DPRK defectors to assault DPRK's political and social systems at the ongoing Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.
The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in a commentary that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has become "extremely embarrassed by the atmosphere for inter-Korean reconciliation" as shown by the Olympics.
It blamed U.S. media such as the CNN and CBS for unduly speculating on the possibility of members of the DPRK sports delegation defecting to South Korea during the Winter Games.
In a report dated Feb. 9, the day on which the PyeongChang Games unveiled, the CNN said: "While unlikely, it isn't impossible for a member of North Korea's PyeongChang delegation to defect as the world watches the Games," referring to the DPRK by another name.
The KCNA commentary said the U.S. government "went vicious to shake the pure minds of our people" and was ignorant of the Korean people's "strong desire for improved north-south ties and reunification."
In what appeared to be a show of willingness for reconciliation, the DPRK dispatched a highest level delegation ever to South Korea to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympics.
Members of the delegation included Kim Yong Nam, president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly and the nominal head of state, as well as Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of top DPRK leader Kim Jung Un.
However, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who led the U.S. delegation, tried to avoid any contact with the DPRK officials despite being seated just in front of Kim Yo Jong at the opening ceremony.
