# North Korea at the 2004 Summer Olympics

North Korea competed as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004. This was the nation's seventh appearance at the Olympics since its debut in 1972. North Korean athletes did not attend the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, when they joined the Soviet boycott, and subsequently, led a boycott at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, along with six other nations.
Olympic Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea sent a total of 36 athletes, 13 men and 23 women, to compete only in 9 sports. For the second time in Olympic history, North Korea was represented by more female than male athletes due to its stark team size of women in diving and artistic gymnastics. Former basketball player and National Olympic Committee official Kim Song-Ho became the nation's flag bearer in the opening ceremony. Both North Korea and South Korea marched together in the Parade of Nations at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies under the Korean Unification Flag, a white flag showing the united Korean peninsula in blue. They had two flagbearers carrying the flag together at each occasion, one representing the North and the other representing the South. The female athletes and staff wore red blazers, while their male counterparts wore blue. Although they marched together, the teams competed separately and had separate medal tallies.
North Korea left Athens with a total of five Olympic medals (four silver and one bronze), failing to claim a single gold for the second consecutive time since Sydney. All of these medals were awarded to the athletes in boxing, judo, shooting, table tennis, and weightlifting. Lightweight judoka Kye Sun-Hui managed to complete a full set of medals in her illustrious sporting career with a silver, in addition to her gold in Atlanta and bronze in Sydney.

## Medalists

| Medal | Name | Sport | Event | Date |
| Silver | Kye Sun-hui | Judo | Women's 57 kg | August 16 |
| Silver | Ri Song-hui | Weightlifting | Women's 58 kg | August 16 |
| Silver | Kim Hyang-mi | Table tennis | Women's singles | August 22 |
| Silver | Kim Song-guk | Boxing | Featherweight | August 28 |
| Bronze | Kim Jong-su | Shooting | Men's 50 m pistol | August 17 |

## Athletics

North Korean athletes have so far achieved qualifying standards in the following athletics events (up to a maximum of 3 athletes in each event at the 'A' Standard, and 1 at the 'B' Standard).

### Key

* Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only
* Q = Qualified for the next round
* q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target
* NR = National record
* N/A = Round not applicable for the event
* Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round

### Men

| Athlete | Event | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank |
| Jong Myong-chol | Marathon | 2:19:47 | 35 |

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank |
| Ham Bong-sil | Marathon | DNF | DNF |
| Jo Bun-hui | Marathon | 2:55:54 | 56 |
| Jong Yong-ok | Marathon | 2:37:52 | 21 |

## Boxing

Kim Song-Guk was a surprise finalist in the featherweight class, beating the European bronze medalist in the second round and the All-Africa Games silver medalist in the quarters before edging World runner-up and European champion Vitali Tajbert in the semifinals. In the final, Tichtchenko pulled out into an early lead over Kim and never looked back, easily taking victory and leaving Kim to the silver medal.
| Athlete | Event | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Kwak Hyok-ju | Light flyweight | Ali (IRQ) L 7–21 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kim Song-guk | Featherweight | Bye | Kupatadze (GEO) W 25–14 | Ganiyu (NGR) W 32–11 | Tajbert (GER) W 29–24 | Tishchenko (RUS) L 17–39 | |

## Diving

North Korean divers qualified for four individual spots in the following events.

### Men

| Athlete | Event | Preliminaries | Preliminaries | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Points | Rank | Points | Rank | Points | Rank |
| Choe Hyong-gil | 10 m platform | 419.58 | 16 Q | 600.36 | 15 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Pak Yong-ryong | 10 m platform | 414.33 | 17 Q | 596.01 | 17 | Did not advance | Did not advance |

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Preliminaries | Preliminaries | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Points | Rank | Points | Rank | Points | Rank |
| Jon Hyon-ju | 10 m platform | 272.01 | 22 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kim Kyong-ju | 10 m platform | 263.52 | 25 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Gymnastics
### Artistic
#### Men

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Total | Rank | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Total | Rank |
| Athlete | Event | F | PH | R | V | PB | HB | Total | Rank | F | PH | R | V | PB | HB | Total | Rank |
| Kim Hyon-il | Pommel horse | — | 9.112 | — | — | — | — | 9.112 | 56 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kim Hyon-il | Parallel bars | — | — | — | — | 9.537 | — | 9.537 | 35 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Ri Jong-song | Floor | 9.675 | — | — | — | — | — | 9.675 | 14 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Ri Jong-song | Vault | — | — | — | 9.162 | — | — | 9.162 | 62 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

#### Team

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Total | Rank | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Total | Rank |
| Athlete | Event | V | UB | BB | F | Total | Rank | V | UB | BB | F | Total | Rank |
| Han Jong-ok | Team | — | 9.537 | 8.000 | — | — | — | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Hong Su-jong | Team | 9.075 | 9.200 | 8.212 | 8.475 | 34.962 | 50 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kang Yun-mi | Team | 9.637 Q | — | — | 8.850 | — | — | | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kim Un-jong | Team | 9.125 | 9.475 | 8.412 | 9.050 | 36.062 | 36 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Pyon Kwang-sun | Team | 9.200 | 9.600 Q | 9.062 | 8.650 | 36.512 | 23 Q | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Ri Hae-yon | Team | 8.762 | 8.862 | 8.600 | 8.687 | 34.911 | 52 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Total | Team | 37.037 | 37.812 | 34.286 | 35.237 | 144.372 | 12 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

#### Individual finals

| Athlete | Event | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Apparatus | Total | Rank |
| Athlete | Event | F | V | UB | BB | Total | Rank |
| Kang Yun-mi | Vault | — | 9.381 | — | — | 9.381 | 5 |
| Pyon Kwang-sun | All-around | 8.525 | 9.587 | 8.850 | 8.900 | 35.862 | 17 |
| Pyon Kwang-sun | Uneven bars | — | — | 9.600 | — | 9.600 | 4 |

## Judo

Six North Korean judoka (one man and five women) qualified for the following events.

### Men

| Athlete | Event | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Repechage 1 | Repechage 2 | Repechage 3 | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Pak Nam-chol | −60 kg | Lounifi (TUN) L 0001–1000 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Repechage 1 | Repechage 2 | Repechage 3 | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| Ri Kyong-ok | −48 kg | Yıldız (TUR) L 0021–0111 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Ri Sang-sim | −52 kg | Yokosawa (JPN) L 0000–1000 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Diédhiou (SEN) W 0020–0000 | Singleton (GBR) L 0010–0011 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kye Sun-hui | −57 kg | Bezzina (MLT) W 1010–0000 | Yukhareva (RUS) W 0031–0010 | Cox (GBR) W 1010–0010 | Lupetey (CUB) W 1000–0000 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bönisch (GER) L 0010–0011 | |
| Hong Ok-song | −63 kg | Scapin (ITA) W 0001–0000 | Moller (RSA) W 1000–0000 | Heill (AUT) L 0010–0100 | Did not advance | Bye | Rousey (USA) W 0010–0001 | González (CUB) L 0000–1010 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kim Ryon-mi | −70 kg | Bye | Moreira (ANG) W 1010–0000 | Arlove (AUS) L 0100–1000 | Did not advance | Bye | Pažoutová (CZE) W 0100–0011 | Jacques (BEL) L 0030–0110 | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Shooting

Three North Korean shooters (two men and one woman) qualified to compete in the following events:

### Men

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Points | Rank | Points | Rank |
| Kim Hyon-ung | 10 m air pistol | 583 | =4 Q | 682 | 6 |
| Kim Hyon-ung | 25 m rapid fire pistol | 572 | 16 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kim Hyon-ung | 50 m pistol | 553 | =18 | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kim Jong-su | 10 m air pistol | 582 | =6 Q | 681.2 | 8 |
| Kim Jong-su | 50 m pistol | 564 | =3 Q | 657.7 | |

### Women

| Athlete | Event | Qualification | Qualification | Final | Final |
| Athlete | Event | Points | Rank | Points | Rank |
| Ri Hyon-ok | Skeet | 68 (2) | 7 | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Table tennis

Four North Korean table tennis players qualified for the following events.
| Athlete | Event | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| O Il | Men's singles | Luyindula (COD) W 4–0 | Leung C Y (HKG) L 1–4 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kim Hyang-mi | Women's singles | Bye | Fazekas (HUN) W 4–1 | Steff (ROM) W 4–2 | Niu Jf (CHN) W 4–0 | Zhang Xl (SIN) W 4–2 | Li Jw (SIN) W 4–3 | Zhang Yn (CHN) L 0–4 | |
| Kim Hyon-hui | Women's singles | Bye | Bye | Jing Jh (SIN) W 4–2 | Tie Y N (HKG) L 0–4 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kim Yun-mi | Women's singles | Bye | Offiong (NGR) W 4–1 | Wang N (HKG) L 2–4 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |
| Kim Hyang-mi Kim Hyon-hui | Women's doubles | Bye | Bye | Bye | C Li / K Li (NZL) W 4–1 | Lee E-S / Seok E-M (KOR) L 1–4 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance |

## Weightlifting

Four North Korean weightlifters qualified for the following events:
| Athlete | Event | Snatch | Snatch | Clean & Jerk | Clean & Jerk | Total | Rank |
| Athlete | Event | Result | Rank | Result | Rank | Total | Rank |
| Im Yong-su | Men's −62 kg | 140 | =2 | 170 | DNF | 140 | DNF |
| Choe Un-sim | Women's −48 kg | 82.5 | =4 | 95 | =10 | 177.5 | 8 |
| Pak Hyon-suk | Women's −58 kg | 95 | =6 | 122.5 | =5 | 217.5 | 6 |
| Ri Song-hui | Women's −58 kg | 102.5 | =2 | 130 | =1 | 232.5 | |

## Wrestling
### Key

* VT - Victory by Fall.
* PP - Decision by Points - the loser with technical points.
* PO - Decision by Points - the loser without technical points.

### Men's freestyle

| Athlete | Event | Elimination Pool | Elimination Pool | Elimination Pool | Elimination Pool | Quarterfinal | Semifinal | Final / BM | Final / BM |
| Athlete | Event | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Opposition Result | Rank |
| O Song-nam | −55 kg | Kardanov (GRE) L 1–3 $^{PP}$ | Berberyan (ARM) W 3–1 $^{PP}$ | Doğan (TUR) W 5–0 $^{VB}$ | 2 | Did not advance | Did not advance | Did not advance | 8 |