But the cheering squad’s synchronized routines over the years have captured the attention of many South Koreans, most likely the reason they’re in the North’s delegation. Its members — generally in their mid-20s or younger and at least 5 feet, 4 inches tall — are picked from art troupes or schools, such as Kim Il Sung University in Pyongyang. The squad features a brass band.
One well known "army of beauties" veteran is Kim Jong-un's wife, Ri Sol-ju. Oh, and there is apparently a screening test for this particular "army of beauties," and it might not be what you think at first—also from the Times:“It is highly unlikely that any North Korean athlete would win a medal, so propaganda value is much bigger than sports value,” said Ahn Chan-il, a defector who is now president of the World Institute for North Korea Studies. “What other country would send such cheerleaders to the Olympics but North Korea?”
Yup, perfectly normal stuff going on here.The tense history between the two countries is also reflected in the makeup of the cheering squad, whose members are screened for loyalty and cannot have current relatives in South Korea, an effort to prevent defections.