Anyway, North Korea could only qualify two gymnasts to Beijing, despite their throwing the toughest skills they could imagine. Which was part of their problem...

...well, I say there's no question that the Communist state is going to send 2007 world silver medalist (and 2004 Olympian) Hong Su Jong to the Olympics; she's being groomed for the Olympics for sure. Besides, she ain't bad on uneven bars.

Here's Hong on uneven bars event finals in the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar, which she won:

That was cool. But I still feel sorry for He Ning.

And of course, here are the vaults that won Hong her first Worlds medal, following in 2003 world silver medalist Kang Yun Mi's footsteps:

That's her sister, Hong Un Jong, who's cheering her on. Hong Su Jong decided to keep up with the Joneses Cheng Fei (CHN) by pulling out an Amânar (Yurchenko 2.5 twist) and a Cheng.

Hong Su Jong qualified 10th into the 2007 Stuttgart world all-around finals--her weakest event being floor exercise. In any case, Hong's flight to Beijing (if the PRK girls even take airplanes) is solidified.

...But what about the second North Korean girl?

Possibly the strongest candidate is Hong Un Jong, the aforementioned Hong sister. (No one said they were related, but then, with North Koreans, you can't know anything, so best not to say it. But they look suspiciously alike.) Un Jong was the second-highest all-around qualifier from North Korea. I like her because she always seems cheerful and excited to be where she's at, unlike Su Jong, who is more dour.

Hong Un Jong, 2007 Stuttgart vault event finals, where she placed 4th behind Sacramone. She performed the Yurchenko 2.0 twist and the Cheng.

I love how's she's all "I did it yay!" after her Cheng.

My sentimental PRK favorite is 2004 Olympian Pyon Kwang Sun, who, to my utter disappointment, didn't compete in Stuttgart (I'm resigned to thinking that she's not likely to appear in Beijing).

Like Hong Un Jong, Pyon's a smiley type--she isn't the "stiff upper lip" North Korean so well portrayed by Hong Su Jong. I remember Pyon for her nice clean uneven bars routine and her Cute Awkward Moment with Courtney Kupets in Athens.

Pyon Kwang Sun in Doha, 2006:

She's still sticking with the old double layout dismount...is it just me, or did she do the Bhardwaj? Woo... Apparently, she did an Ezhova.

Other PRK girls, who just might emerge in years to come if they don't go to Beijing:

Kim Myong Bok, in Doha, 2006.

Her casting to handstand sucks. But...ain't she a tiny little thing? Her Comaneci is...not jaw-dropping. I suppose it's better than falling on it, though (e.g., Vanessa Ferrari).

Cha Yong Hwa, 2007 Stuttgart:

Her casting to handstand sucks too.
But OMG the Def! And the jam (that's a Luo, I think?)! I say, that Def was a helluva lot prettier than Emilie Le Pennec's (FRA).
Cha could contend with Ksenia Semenova (RUS) and Nastia Liukin if she would only work on casting, and landing her double layout well.

(I wish at least one of the PRK girls could get a new dismount; there are only so many double layouts that I can take.)