North Korea at the Olympics explained

Noc:PRK
Nocname:Olympic Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Games:Olympics
Rank:50
Gold:16
Silver:19
Bronze:28
See also: (1932–1936)
Korea (2018)

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (commonly known as North Korea) first participated at the Olympic Games in 1964. The National Olympic Committee for North Korea is the Olympic Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and was created in 1953 and recognized in 1957.

History

North Korea's first Olympic appearance was in the 1964 Winter Olympics at Innsbruck, Austria. The nation participated in its first Summer Olympic Games eight years later at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Since then, the nation has appeared in every Summer Games, except when North Korea joined the Soviet-led boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics, when they boycotted the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea, and in 2020, citing COVID-19 concerns.[1]

North Korea's attendance at the Winter Games has been sporadic; eight of the last thirteen Games have included a North Korean team.

During the 1998-2007 Sunshine Policy era, North Korea and South Korea symbolically marched as one team at the opening ceremonies of the 2000, 2004, and 2006 Olympics, but competed separately.

North Korea sent 22 athletes to compete in five sports at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. As in 2000 and 2004, North and South Korean athletes marched together at the opening ceremonies. A unified women's ice hockey team included players from both North and South Korea. North Korean athletes also competed in alpine skiing, figure skating, short track speed skating and cross-country skiing.[2]

Alongside the 22 athletes, North Korea sent a delegation of 400 supporters to the 2018 games. This delegation, led by North Korea's ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam, included cheerleaders, taekwondo practitioners and an orchestra.[3]

North Korean athletes have won a total of 57 medals, two of which were won at the Winter Games. Government funding plays a major role in Korea's success. Elite athletes often enjoy highly developed facilities and luxurious lifestyles, compared with their peers.[1]

In 2018, the United Nations, due to conflicts, rejected an exemption to sanctions for sporting equipment to help athletes prepare for the 2020 Summer Olympics being sent to North Korea.[4]

On 6 April 2021, North Korea announced it would not participate in the 2020 Summer Olympics due to COVID-19 concerns.[5] Because the Olympic Charter mandates members' participation, the International Olympic Committee suspended North Korea from its activities until the end of 2022, thus prohibiting the country from participating in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.[6]

Medal tables

See also: All-time Olympic Games medal table.

Medals by Summer Games

GamesAthletesGoldSilverBronzeTotalRank
align=left 1932–1936 occupied by
align=left 1 1 3 5 22
align=left 1 1 0 2 21
align=left 0 3 2 5 26
align=left did not participate
align=left
align=left 4 0 5 9 16
align=left 2 1 2 5 33
align=left 0 1 3 4 60
align=left 0 4 1 5 57
align=left 2 2 2 6 34
align=left 4 0 3 7 20
align=left 2 3 2 7 34
align=left did not participate
align=left 0 2 4 6 68
align=left future event
align=left
Total 16 18 27 61 47

Medals by Winter Games

GamesAthletesGoldSilverBronzeTotalRank
0 1 0 1 13
did not participate
0 0 0 0 -
did not participate
0 0 0 0 -
0 0 0 0 -
0 0 1 1 19
did not participate
0 0 0 0 -
did not participate
0 0 0 0 -
0 0 0 0 -
did not participate
0 0 0 0 -
did not participate (suspended)
future event
Total 0 1 1 2 45

Medals by winter sport

List of medalists

Summer Olympics

GamesMedalNameSportEvent
Ri Ho-jun ShootingMixed 50 metre rifle, prone
Kim U-gil BoxingMen's light flyweight
Kim Yong-ik JudoMen's 63 kg
Ri Chun-ok
Kim Myong-suk
Kim Zung-bok
Kang Ok-sun
Kim Yeun-ja
Hwang He-suk
Jang Ok-rim
Paek Myong-suk
Ryom Chun-ja
Kim Su-dae
Jong Ok-jin
VolleyballWomen's tournament
Kim Gwong-hyong WrestlingMen's freestyle 52 kg
Gu Yong-ju BoxingMen's bantamweight
Ri Byong-ukMen's light flyweight
Jang Se-hong WrestlingMen's freestyle 48 kg
Li Ho-pyongMen's freestyle 57 kg
Ho Bong-chol WeightliftingMen's 52 kg
Han Gyong-siMen's 52 kg
Ri Byong-uk BoxingMen's light flyweight
Choi Chol-su BoxingMen's flyweight
Pae Gil-su GymnasticsMen's pommel horse
Kim Il WrestlingMen's freestyle 48 kg
Ri Hak-sonMen's freestyle 52 kg
Kim Yong-sikMen's freestyle 57 kg
Ri Gwang-sik BoxingMen's bantamweight
Ri Pun-hui
Yu Sun-bok
Table tennisWomen's doubles
Ri Pun-huiWomen's singles
Kim Myong-nam WeightliftingMen's 75 kg
Kye Sun-hui JudoWomen's 48 kg
Kim Il WrestlingMen's freestyle 48 kg
Kim Myong-nam WeightliftingMen's 70 kg
Jon Chol-hoMen's 76 kg
Ri Yong-sam WrestlingMen's freestyle 57 kg
Ri Song-hui WeightliftingWomen's 58 kg
Kim Un-chol BoxingMen's light flyweight
Kye Sun-hui JudoWomen's 52 kg
Kang Yong-gyun WrestlingMen's Greco-Roman 54 kg
Kim Song-guk BoxingMen's featherweight
Kye Sun-hui JudoWomen's lightweight
Kim Hyang-mi Table tennisWomen's singles
Ri Song-Hui WeightliftingWomen's 58 kg
Kim Jong-su ShootingMen's 50 metre pistol
Hong Un-jong GymnasticsWomen's vault
Pak Hyon-suk WeightliftingWomen's 63 kg
O Jong-aeWomen's 58 kg
An Kum-ae JudoWomen's lightweight
Pak Chol-minMen's lightweight
Won Ok-imWomen's lightweight
An Kum-ae JudoWomen's 52 kg
Om Yun-chol WeightliftingMen's 56 kg
Kim Un-gukMen's 62 kg
Rim Jong-simWomen's 69 kg
Ryang Chun-hwaWomen's 48 kg
Kim Myong-hyokMen's 69 kg
Yang Kyong-il WrestlingMen's freestyle 55 kg
Ri Se-gwang GymnasticsMen's vault
Rim Jong-sim WeightliftingWomen's 75 kg
Om Yun-cholMen's 56 kg
Choe Hyo-simWomen's 63 kg
Kim Kuk-hyangWomen's +75 kg
Kim Song-guk ShootingMen's 50 m pistol
Kim Song-i Table tennisWomen's singles
Ri Jong-sik
Kim Kum-yong
Table tennisMixed doubles
Kim Mi-rae DivingWomen's 10 metre platform

Winter Olympics

MedalNameGamesSportEvent
Women's 3000 metres
Women's 500 metres

Multiple medalists

width=150 Athletewidth=150 Sportwidth=100 Games Gold Silver Bronzewidth=50 Total
Kye Sun-hui1996, 2000, 20041113
Kim Il1992, 19962002
Rim Jong-sim2012, 20162002
An Kum-ae2008, 20121102
Om Yun-chol2012, 20161102
Ri Song-hui2000, 20040202
Ri Byong-uk1976, 19800112
Kim Myong-nam1992, 19960112
Li Bun-hui19920022

See also

References

Works cited

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Why the Olympics matter when it comes to North Korea . Taylor . Adam . . 3 January 2018 . 7 January 2018 .
  2. News: Winter Olympics 2018: North Korea will send 22 athletes to Pyeongchang. January 20, 2018. February 10, 2018. BBC News.
  3. News: North Korea at the Winter Olympics: All you need to know. February 8, 2018. February 10, 2018. BBC News.
  4. Web site: IOC disappointed after UN reject demand for sporting equipment to be sent to North Korea . insidethegames.biz . 2021-10-18 . Nick . Butler . 2018-08-09.
  5. News: Choe. Sang-hun. 6 April 2021. North Korea, citing the pandemic, will skip the Tokyo Olympics.. 5 April 2021. The New York Times.
  6. News: North Korea suspended from IOC after Tokyo no-show. 8 September 2021. Reuters. Reuters. 8 September 2021. en.