# North Korea at the Olympics

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.
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.
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.
North Korean athletes have won a total of 63 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.
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.
On 6 April 2021, North Korea announced it would not participate in the 2020 Summer Olympics due to COVID-19 concerns. 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.

## Medal tables
### Medals by Summer Games

| Games | Athletes | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Rank |
| 1932–1936 | occupied by Japan (JPN) | occupied by Japan (JPN) | occupied by Japan (JPN) | occupied by Japan (JPN) | occupied by Japan (JPN) | occupied by Japan (JPN) |
| 1972 Munich | 37 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 22 |
| 1976 Montreal | 38 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 21 |
| 1980 Moscow | 57 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 26 |
| 1984 Los Angeles | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1988 Seoul | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1992 Barcelona | 64 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 16 |
| 1996 Atlanta | 24 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 33 |
| 2000 Sydney | 31 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 60 |
| 2004 Athens | 36 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 57 |
| 2008 Beijing | 63 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 34 |
| 2012 London | 51 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 20 |
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | 31 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 34 |
| 2020 Tokyo | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 2024 Paris | 16 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 68 |
| 2028 Los Angeles | future event |
| 2032 Brisbane | future event |
| Total | Total | 16 | 18 | 27 | 61 | 47 |

### Medals by Winter Games

| Games | Athletes | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Rank |
| 1964 Innsbruck | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13 |
| 1968 Grenoble | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1972 Sapporo | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 1976 Innsbruck | did not participate |
| 1980 Lake Placid | did not participate |
| 1984 Sarajevo | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 1988 Calgary | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 1992 Albertville | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 |
| 1994 Lillehammer | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 1998 Nagano | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 2002 Salt Lake City | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 2006 Turin | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 2010 Vancouver | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 2014 Sochi | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate | did not participate |
| 2018 Pyeongchang | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 2022 Beijing | did not participate (suspended) | did not participate (suspended) | did not participate (suspended) | did not participate (suspended) | did not participate (suspended) | did not participate (suspended) |
| 2026 Milano Cortina | future event | future event | future event | future event | future event | future event |
| Total | Total | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 45 |

### Medals by summer sport

| Sport | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| Weightlifting | 5 | 8 | 5 | 18 |
| Wrestling | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| Gymnastics | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Boxing | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| Judo | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Shooting | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Table tennis | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Diving | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Volleyball | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (9 entries) | 16 | 18 | 24 | 58 |

### Medals by winter sport

| Sport | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| Speed skating | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Short track speed skating | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (2 entries) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |

## List of medalists
### Summer Olympics

| Games | Medal | Name | Sport | Event |
| 1972 Munich | Gold | Ri Ho-jun | Shooting | Mixed 50 metre rifle, prone |
| 1972 Munich | Silver | Kim U-gil | Boxing | Men's light flyweight |
| 1972 Munich | Bronze | Kim Yong-ik | Judo | Men's 63 kg |
| 1972 Munich | Bronze | 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 | Volleyball | Women's tournament |
| 1972 Munich | Bronze | Kim Gwong-hyong | Wrestling | Men's freestyle 52 kg |
| 1976 Montreal | Gold | Gu Yong-ju | Boxing | Men's bantamweight |
| 1976 Montreal | Silver | Ri Byong-uk | Boxing | Men's light flyweight |
| 1980 Moscow | Silver | Jang Se-hong | Wrestling | Men's freestyle 48 kg |
| 1980 Moscow | Silver | Li Ho-pyong | Wrestling | Men's freestyle 57 kg |
| 1980 Moscow | Silver | Ho Bong-chol | Weightlifting | Men's 52 kg |
| 1980 Moscow | Bronze | Han Gyong-si | Weightlifting | Men's 52 kg |
| 1980 Moscow | Bronze | Ri Byong-uk | Boxing | Men's light flyweight |
| 1992 Barcelona | Gold | Choi Chol-su | Boxing | Men's flyweight |
| 1992 Barcelona | Gold | Pae Gil-su | Gymnastics | Men's pommel horse |
| 1992 Barcelona | Gold | Kim Il | Wrestling | Men's freestyle 48 kg |
| 1992 Barcelona | Gold | Ri Hak-son | Wrestling | Men's freestyle 52 kg |
| 1992 Barcelona | Bronze | Kim Yong-sik | Wrestling | Men's freestyle 57 kg |
| 1992 Barcelona | Bronze | Ri Gwang-sik | Boxing | Men's bantamweight |
| 1992 Barcelona | Bronze | Ri Pun-hui Yu Sun-bok | Table tennis | Women's doubles |
| 1992 Barcelona | Bronze | Ri Pun-hui | Table tennis | Women's singles |
| 1992 Barcelona | Bronze | Kim Myong-nam | Weightlifting | Men's 75 kg |
| 1996 Atlanta | Gold | Kye Sun-hui | Judo | Women's 48 kg |
| 1996 Atlanta | Gold | Kim Il | Wrestling | Men's freestyle 48 kg |
| 1996 Atlanta | Silver | Kim Myong-nam | Weightlifting | Men's 70 kg |
| 1996 Atlanta | Bronze | Jon Chol-ho | Weightlifting | Men's 76 kg |
| 1996 Atlanta | Bronze | Ri Yong-sam | Wrestling | Men's freestyle 57 kg |
| 2000 Sydney | Silver | Ri Song-hui | Weightlifting | Women's 58 kg |
| 2000 Sydney | Bronze | Kim Un-chol | Boxing | Men's light flyweight |
| 2000 Sydney | Bronze | Kye Sun-hui | Judo | Women's 52 kg |
| 2000 Sydney | Bronze | Kang Yong-gyun | Wrestling | Men's Greco-Roman 54 kg |
| 2004 Athens | Silver | Kim Song-guk | Boxing | Men's featherweight |
| 2004 Athens | Silver | Kye Sun-hui | Judo | Women's lightweight |
| 2004 Athens | Silver | Kim Hyang-mi | Table tennis | Women's singles |
| 2004 Athens | Silver | Ri Song-Hui | Weightlifting | Women's 58 kg |
| 2004 Athens | Bronze | Kim Jong-su | Shooting | Men's 50 metre pistol |
| 2008 Beijing | Gold | Hong Un-jong | Gymnastics | Women's vault |
| 2008 Beijing | Gold | Pak Hyon-suk | Weightlifting | Women's 63 kg |
| 2008 Beijing | Silver | O Jong-ae | Weightlifting | Women's 58 kg |
| 2008 Beijing | Silver | An Kum-ae | Judo | Women's lightweight |
| 2008 Beijing | Bronze | Pak Chol-min | Judo | Men's lightweight |
| 2008 Beijing | Bronze | Won Ok-im | Judo | Women's lightweight |
| 2012 London | Gold | An Kum-ae | Judo | Women's 52 kg |
| 2012 London | Gold | Om Yun-chol | Weightlifting | Men's 56 kg |
| 2012 London | Gold | Kim Un-guk | Weightlifting | Men's 62 kg |
| 2012 London | Gold | Rim Jong-sim | Weightlifting | Women's 69 kg |
| 2012 London | Bronze | Ryang Chun-hwa | Weightlifting | Women's 48 kg |
| 2012 London | Bronze | Kim Myong-hyok | Weightlifting | Men's 69 kg |
| 2012 London | Bronze | Yang Kyong-il | Wrestling | Men's freestyle 55 kg |
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | Gold | Ri Se-gwang | Gymnastics | Men's vault |
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | Gold | Rim Jong-sim | Weightlifting | Women's 75 kg |
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | Silver | Om Yun-chol | Weightlifting | Men's 56 kg |
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | Silver | Choe Hyo-sim | Weightlifting | Women's 63 kg |
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | Silver | Kim Kuk-hyang | Weightlifting | Women's +75 kg |
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | Bronze | Kim Song-guk | Shooting | Men's 50 m pistol |
| 2016 Rio de Janeiro | Bronze | Kim Song-i | Table tennis | Women's singles |
| 2024 Paris | Silver | Kim Mi-rae Jo Jin-mi | Diving | Women's synchronized 10 metre platform |
| 2024 Paris | Silver | Ri Jong-sik Kim Kum-yong | Table tennis | Mixed doubles |
| 2024 Paris | Bronze | Kim Mi-rae | Diving | Women's 10 metre platform |
| 2024 Paris | Bronze | Pang Chol-mi | Boxing | Bantamweight(54kg) |
| 2024 Paris | Bronze | Ri Se Ung | Wrestling | Men's Greco-Roman 60 kg |
| 2024 Paris | Bronze | Choe Hyo-gyong | Wrestling | Women's freestyle 53 kg |

### Winter Olympics

| Medal | Name | Games | Sport | Event |
| Silver | Han Pil-hwa | 1964 Innsbruck | Speed skating | Women's 3000 metres |
| Bronze | Hwang Ok-sil | 1992 Albertville | Short track speed skating | Women's 500 metres |

## Multiple medalists

| Athlete | Sport | Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| Kye Sun-hui | Judo | 1996, 2000, 2004 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Kim Il | Wrestling | 1992, 1996 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Rim Jong-sim | Weightlifting | 2012, 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| An Kum-ae | Judo | 2008, 2012 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Om Yun-chol | Weightlifting | 2012, 2016 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Ri Song-hui | Weightlifting | 2000, 2004 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Ri Byong-uk | Boxing | 1976, 1980 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Kim Myong-nam | Weightlifting | 1992, 1996 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Li Bun-hui | Table tennis | 1992 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |