North Korea (officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's ninth 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 the nation's third largest delegation ever to the Games. A total of 51 athletes, 15 men and 36 women, competed in 10 sports. Women's football was the only team-based sport in which North Korea was represented at these Olympic games. There was only a single competitor in archery, judo, and shooting. Marathon runner Pak Song-chol became the first track and field athlete to carry the North Korean flag at the opening ceremony. For the first time since its Olympic return in 1992, North Korea did not qualify athletes in gymnastics.
North Korea left London with a total of 7 medals (4 gold and 3 bronze), beating its record from the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Along with the 1992 Summer Olympics, this was also the nation's most successful Olympics for the number of gold medals received at a single games. All of these medals were awarded to the team in judo, weightlifting, and wrestling.
Medalists
| width="78%" align="left" valign="top" | Medal Name Sport Event Date An Kum-ae Judo Women's 52 kg Om Yun-chol Weightlifting Men's 56 kg Kim Un-guk Weightlifting Men's 62 kg Rim Jong-sim Weightlifting Women's 69 kg Ryang Chun-hwa Weightlifting Women's 48 kg Kim Myong-hyok Weightlifting Men's 69 kg Yang Kyong-il Wrestling Men's freestyle 55 kg | width="22%" align="left" valign="top" |
Medals by sportSportTotalWeightlifting3025Judo1001Wrestling0011Total4037
Archery
AthleteEventRanking roundRound of 64Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalScoreSeedOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreOppositionScoreRankKwon Un-silWomen's individual63841 (24)L 3–7Did not advance
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 AthleteEventFinalResultRankKim Kwang-hyokMarathon2:20:2053Pak Song-chol2:20:2052
Women AthleteEventFinalResultRankJon Kyong-huiMarathon2:35:1756Kim Kum-ok2:33:3049Kim Mi-gyong2:38:3374
Boxing
North Korea has qualified boxers for the following events.
Men AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankPak Jong-cholFlyweightL 8–12Did not advance
Women AthleteEventRound of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankKim Hye-songFlyweightL 9–12Did not advance
Diving
North Korea has qualified in the following events.
Men AthleteEventPreliminariesSemifinalsFinalPointsRankPointsRankPointsRankRi Hyon-ju10 m platform331.3032Did not advance
Women AthleteEventPreliminariesSemifinalsFinalPointsRankPointsRankPointsRankKim Jin-ok10 m platform320.1015 Q312.9514Did not advanceKim Un-hyang308.1018 Q314.4013Did not advance
Football
North Korea is qualified for the women's event Women's team event – 1 team of 18 players
Women's tournament
Team roster
Group play
† Game delayed by one hour due to North Korean protest after erroneous use of South Korean flag for North Korea.
Judo
AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechageFinal / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankAn Kum-AeWomen's −52 kgW 0001–0000W 0102–0002W 0102–0013W 0101–0000W 0001–0000
Shooting
The following quota place has been qualified for the North Korean shooting squad at the Games;
Women AthleteEventQualificationFinalPointsRankPointsRankJo Yong-suk10 m air pistol38410Did not advance25 m pistol5837 Q782.37
Synchronized swimming
North Korea has qualified 2 quota places in synchronized swimming.
AthleteEventTechnical routineFree routine (preliminary)Free routine (final)PointsRankPointsTotal (technical + free)RankPointsTotal (technical + free)RankJang Hyang-miJong Yon-huiDuet84.4001684.830169.23016Did not advance
Table tennis
North Korea has qualified 6 quotas athlete for singles table tennis events. Men AthleteEventPreliminary roundRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankKim Hyok-bongSinglescolspan=2 W 4–1W 4–2L 3–4Did not advanceKim Song-namW 4–0L 3–4Did not advanceJang Song-manKim Hyok-bongKim Song-namTeamcolspan=4 L 1–3Did not advance
Women AthleteEventPreliminary roundRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankKim JongSinglescolspan=2 W 4–1L 2–4Did not advanceRi Myong-suncolspan=2 L 2–4Did not advanceKim JongRi Mi-gyongRi Myong-sunTeamcolspan=4 W 3–0L 0–3Did not advance
Weightlifting
North Korea has qualified 5 men and 3 women.
Men AthleteEventSnatchClean & JerkTotalRankResultRankResultRankOm Yun-chol−56 kg1256168 1293Sin Chol-Bom1131214592588Kim Un-guk−62 kg153 11742327 Kim Kum-sok−69 kg1401117573158Kim Myong-hyok14551843329 Kim Myong-hyok originally finished fourth, but in June 2021, he was promoted to bronze due to the disqualification of Răzvan Martin.
Women AthleteEventSnatchClean & JerkTotalRankResultRankResultRankRyang Chun-hwa−48 kg8051122192Jong Chun-mi−58 kg101413042314Rim Jong-sim−69 kg11511461261
Wrestling
North Korea has qualified in the following events.
Key - Victory by Fall. - Decision by Points - the loser with technical points. - Decision by Points - the loser without technical points.
Men's freestyle AthleteEventQualificationRound of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalRepechage 1Repechage 2Final / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankYang Kyong-il−55 kgW 3–1 L 1–3 Did not advanceW 3–1 W 3–1 Ri Jong-myong−60 kgW 3–0 W 3–1 L 0–3 colspan=2 L 1–3 5
Men's Greco-Roman AthleteEventQualificationRound of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalRepechage 1Repechage 2Final / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankYun Won-chol−55 kgL 0–3 Did not advance15
Women's freestyle AthleteEventQualificationRound of 16QuarterfinalSemifinalRepechage 1Repechage 2Final / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankHan Kum-ok−55 kgL 1–3 Did not advance10Choe Un-gyong−63 kgL 1–3 Did not advanceL 1–3 Did not advance12
See also North Korea at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
References