Order of Sport Merit explained

Order of Sport Merit 체육훈장
Type:	Order of merit
Date:	1973
Country:	The Republic of Korea
Grades:	Cheongnyong Maengho Geosang Baengma Girin
Head:	Moon Jae In
Status:	Currently awarded
Higher:	Order of Cultural Merit
Lower:	Order of Science and Technology Merit
Related:	Sports Merit Medal

The Order of Sport Merit is one of the Republic of Korea's (South Korea) Orders of Merit. It is awarded to those who have rendered outstanding meritorious services in the interest of improving citizen's physique and national status through sports.

Classes of Sport Merit

The Order of Sport Merit is conferred in five classes:

1. Cheongnyong (Blue Dragon) 청룡장
2. Maengho (Fierce Tiger) 맹호장
3. Geosang (Giant Elephant) 거상장
4. Baengma (White Horse) 백마장
5. Girin (Giraffe) 기린장

Other Orders of Merit

There are three kinds of decoration awarded by the Republic of Korea. They are Orders, Medals of Merit, and Service Medals.^[1]

Selected recipients

Cheongnyong Medal

• Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh - During the Prince's 1985 visit to Seoul, then-President Chun Doo-hwan presented him with the award for his long-time role as President of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports.
• Guus Hiddink - Dutch football coach who coached the South Korean men's football team to a historic fourth-place at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
• Kim Yun-a - retired South Korean figure skater and gold medalist at the Winter Olympics and World Championships^[2]
• Jang Mi-ran - South Korean Olympic weightlifter and gold medalist at the 2008 Summer Olympics^[3]
• Lee Bong-ju - South Korean marathoner and silver medalist at the 1996 Summer Olympics^[3]
• Thomas Bach - IOC President
• Kim Jung-hwan - first South Korean fencer to medal at three consecutive Olympics^[2]
• Won Woo-young - first Asian fencer to win an individual gold medal in men's sabre at the World Fencing Championships and team gold medalist at the 2012 Summer Olympics^{[4] [2]}
• Lee Kwan-Ho - Korean finswimmer who received the blue dragon medal for fastest time in the 100m immersion swimming event
• Son Heung-min - footballer for Tottenham Hotspur and the South Korean national team. First Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot.^[5]

External links

• 체육훈장(體育勳章, Order of Sport Merit).
• Republic of Korea's Orders of Merit

Notes and References

1. https://books.google.com/books?id=UfsDAQAAIAAJ&q=cultural+merit+ Korea: its Land, People, and Culture of all Ages, pp. 145-146.
2. News: 제54회 체육의 날(10. 15.) 기념 대한민국체육상 시상 및 체육발전유공자 정부 포상. October 14, 2016. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. ko.
3. News: 이봉주·장미란 '체육훈장 청룡장'. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. December 8, 2009. ko.
4. News: 원우영, 세계 남 사브르 사상 첫 금. KBS. November 7, 2010. ko.
5. Web site: 유 . 지호 . 2022-06-02 . (LEAD) Yoon awards Son Heung-min with highest nat'l honor for sports . 2022-09-03 . . en.