Despite the U.S. President Donald Trump administration’s decision to exclude North Korea from its updated list of countries subject to entry bans last month, it was confirmed on Monday that North Korea will not participate in the World Table Tennis (WTT) tournament in Las Vegas.
The WTT United States Smash 2025 website initially listed North Korean players Kim Kum Yong and Pyon Song Gyong as competitors for the July 3-13 event. However, their names were abruptly removed. Local sources suggest that visa issues were the reason for their withdrawal.
WTT tournament participation is typically determined automatically based on world rankings. Players can opt-out without penalty by requesting a withdrawal before the deadline. North Korea likely missed this window, as the final roster is published after the withdrawal period closes.
This would have marked North Korea’s debut appearance in a WTT event since the tournament’s inception in 2021. The WTT, established by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), hosts a global tour series based on ITTF world rankings.
WTT ranking scores of North Korean players / Captured from the WTT homepage
Kim Kum Yong currently ranks 45th globally with 590 points, while Pyon Song Gyong holds the 60th spot with 409 points. Kim notably clinched silver in mixed doubles at last year’s Paris Olympics, partnering with Ri Jong Sik to challenge the top-ranked Chinese team.
Kim also made history as the first North Korean woman to win singles gold at last year’s Asian Table Tennis Championships in Astana. However, her ITTF World Championships run in May ended in the round of 32 with a loss to a Japanese competitor.
North Korea’s withdrawal is likely due to political considerations. The U.S. has classified North Korea as a visa-issuance-restricted country for seven consecutive years following the 2017 Otto Warmbier incident.
The recent U.S. decision to remove North Korea from its entry ban list was viewed by some as a conciliatory move by the Trump administration. North Korea, however, dismissed this gesture, stating that their inclusion or exclusion from such lists was irrelevant to their interests. This tournament withdrawal may indicate North Korea’s reluctance to expand engagement with the U.S. at this time.
The North Korean team’s absence also eliminates a potential meeting between North and South Korean players. South Korea’s delegation includes Lim Jong Hoon and Shin Yu Bin in mixed doubles, with Choi Hyo Joo, Cho Seung Min, Yoo Si Woo, Yoo Ye Rin, and Lee Seung Soo competing in singles events.
Last October’s Asian Table Tennis Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, saw a dramatic North-South clash in mixed doubles. The South Korean pair of Lim Jong Hoon and Shin Yu Bin narrowly lost to North Korea’s Ri Jong Sik and Kim Kum Yong in a 3-2 semifinal thriller, settling for the bronze medal.
