Moscow and Beijing were staunch allies of Pyongyang .
Allies both rejected North Korean pressure to boycott the Seoul Games , ensuring they were the first truly global Olympics since 1972 , thus opening the door for diplomatic normalization with Seoul .
Moscow and Beijing were staunch allies of Pyongyang but they both rejected North Korean pressure to boycott the Seoul Games , ensuring they were the first truly global Olympics since 1972 , thus opening the door for diplomatic normalization with Seoul .