USAToday: North Korea 'Army of Beauties' cheerleaders making impression at Olympics

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It was about 10 minutes before puck drop in the much-anticipated unified Korea women’s hockey team debut, when the North Korean cheerleaders stole the show.

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Kanye West blared on the arena speakers, and the cheer squad of young North Korean women decked out in matching red and white outfits decided it was time for their first routine.

They waved small unified Korean Peninsula flags, and swayed in unison and sung “ban gap seup nee da,” or nice to meet you.

The crowd was instantly transfixed.

“It felt like I was competing in my own country,” Jong Su Hyon, one of 12 North Koreans on the joint team’s roster, said of the atmosphere following Korea’s lopsided defeat to Switzerland.

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American snowboarder Red Gerard nailed a thrilling frontside double cork 1080 on his way to a gold medal.

But the sights and sounds of the North Korean cheering squad at the Games may prove to be one of the most indelible memories of these Olympics.

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