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    North Korea Leaves the South to Pick Up Its Olympics Tab

    From international loans to hotel bills, Pyongyang has earned a reputation as a debtor that rarely pays

    Despite a display of improved relations between North and South Korea at the Winter Olympics, many South Koreans see the rapprochement as opportunistic propaganda. WSJ spoke to South Koreans who remain skeptical of the North's intentions. Photo: Getty Images
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    SEOUL—At the Winter Olympics, North Korea’s athletes, cheerleaders and performers are trying to score charm points for a regime seeking to improve its image. They are also racking up hotel bills they don’t plan to pay.

    On Wednesday, South Korea approved a $2.7 million fund to cover North Korean costs such as the bill at the Grand Walkerhill Seoul, the five-star hotel in the capital where North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister and a 137-member orchestra spent a few nights. The tab could change depending on a final accounting,...

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