As the South Korean technology giant Samsung, being a major partner of Paris Olympic 2024, continues to distribute its newest Galaxy Z Flip 6 smartphones amongst the Olympians across all nations, the South Korean officials on Thursday flagged that the giving the smartphones to North Korean athletes would actually violate UN Security Council sanctions against the country over its nuclear and missile program.

According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the smartphones bound for the North Korean athletes reached the Olympic village. However, it was unclear what happened to them after that. The IOC didn't immediately provide more information. This time, North Korea sent 16 athletes to the Paris Games to compete in seven sports, including wrestling, swimming, table tennis and boxing.

While highlighting the diplomatic issue, South Korea's Foreign Ministry mentioned that smartphones were among the items banned under Security Council Resolution 2397 passed in 2017, which prohibited the supply, sale or transfer to North Korea of “all industrial machinery”.