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This is the special Galaxy Note 8 that North Korean athletes can't take home

We got our hands on the limited-edition Note 8 that caused a predicament for Samsung and the Olympic Committee.

Lynn La Senior Editor / Reviews - Phones
Lynn La covers mobile reviews and news. She previously wrote for The Sacramento Bee, Macworld and The Global Post.
Lynn La
2 min read
Josh Miller/CNET

It looks like the conflict involving Samsung and its limited-edition Galaxy Note 8 has been resolved for now.

On Wednesday, it was reported that the South Korean company's endeavor to give athletes in this year's Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games a Note 8 may violate international sanctions against two countries: North Korea and Iran. 

Watch this: Galaxy Note 8 Olympic Edition looks like a true champion

Since then, the International Olympics Committee (IOC) has said that athletes from both countries can receive the phone, according to Reuters. North Korean athletes, however, will need to return their phones after the games are over.

Samsung told CNET in an emailed statement that it is "not responsible for the distribution of the phones," but that it "will fully support the Iranian athletes to receive the phones as soon as possible."

To see the phone that caused such a dilemma, take a peek at the photos below. Unlike Samsung's Galaxy S7 Edge Olympic Games Limited Edition phone from 2016, it's available only to athletes -- consumers won't be able to get their hands on it.

The phone's hardware is identical to the Note 8 that's already available, but it includes a special Olympic logo on the back and Olympic-themed wallpaper. In addition, there's a preloaded app called PyeongChang 2018 (after the county where the games are held in South Korea), which lists event schedules and lets athletes keep track of medals awarded, their favorite Olympic events and countries.

This Galaxy Note 8 is so exclusive, you can't even buy it

See all photos

For more information on the phone, read CNET's Galaxy Note 8 review here.

Updated at 11:23 a.m. PT: Includes the IOC's decision to allow athletes from both countries to receive the phone, and Samsung's statement.