The Republic of Korea (commonly known as South Korea) first participated at the Olympic Games in 1948, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except for 1980 which they boycotted. South Korea has also participated in every Winter Olympic Games since 1948, except for the 1952 games. The National Olympic Committee for South Korea is the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, which was founded in 1946 and recognized in 1947.
The first ethnic Korean athletes to win medals did so at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, when Sohn Kee-chung and Nam Sung-yong won gold and bronze respectively in the men's marathon as members of the Japanese team. As Korea was under Japanese rule at that time, making them both Japanese subjects, the IOC credits both medals to Japan.
South Korea won its first medals as an independent nation at its first appearance in 1948, and won its first gold medal in 1976. South Korean athletes have won a total of 287 medals at the Summer Games, with the most gold medals won in archery, and 79 medals at the Winter Games, a majority in short track speed skating. The nation has won more medals in this winter sport than any other nation since it was introduced to the Olympic program in 1992. During the Sunshine Policy eras, South Korea and North Korea symbolically marched as one team at the opening ceremonies of the 2000, 2004 and 2006 Olympics, but competed separately. At the 2018 Winter Olympics, North Korean and South Korean athletes unified to form the Korea women's national ice hockey team.
Male athletes receive an exemption from mandatory active-duty military service by winning any medal at the Olympic Games. They instead complete basic military training and a short period of community service, a policy designed to reward achievements that raise national prestige. Introduced in 1973 by the dictator Park Chung Hee, the policy has faced increasing domestic debate regarding civic equity and whether athletic achievements merit exemption from national duty.
Timeline of participation
Olympic Year/s Teams 1912–1936 1948–1960 1964 W (NKO) 1964 S–1968 1972–present (PRK)
Hosted games South Korea has hosted the Games on two occasions: Games Host city Dates Nations Participants Events 1988 Summer Olympics Seoul 17 September – 2 October 160 8,391 2632018 Winter Olympics Pyeongchang 9 – 25 February 92 2,952 102
Unsuccessful bids Games City Winner of bid 2010 Winter Olympics Pyeongchang Vancouver, Canada2014 Winter Olympics Sochi, Russia
Medal tables
Medals by Summer Games
Medals by Winter Games
Medals by summer sport
Medals by winter sport
Most successful Olympians
Athlete Sport Type Olympics Gold Silver Bronze Total Kim Woo-jin Summer 2016, 2020, 2024 5 0 0 5 Choi Min-jeong Winter2018, 2022, 20264307 Jin Jong-oh Summer 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 4 2 0 6 Kim Soo-nyung Summer 1988, 1992, 2000 4 1 1 6 Chun Lee-kyung Winter 1992, 1994, 1998 4 0 1 5 Shim Suk-hee Winter2014, 2018, 20263116 Park Sung-hyun Summer 2004, 2008 3 1 0 4 Ahn Hyun-soo Winter 2002, 2006 3 0 1 4 Ki Bo-bae Summer 2012, 20163014Lim Si-hyeonSummer20243003 Kim Je-deok Summer 2020, 2024 3 0 0 3 Oh Sang-uk Summer 2020, 2024 3 0 0 3 Gu Bon-gil Summer 2012, 2020, 2024 3 0 0 3 An San Summer 2020 3 0 0 3 Jin Sun-yu Winter 2006 3 0 0 3 Yun Mi-jin Summer 2000, 2004 3 0 0 3 Kim Ki-hoon Winter 1992, 1994 3 0 0 3
Notes On 11 February 2014, Lee Sang-hwa won the gold medal for the women's 500m longtrack speedskating race at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, having previously won the one at the 2010 Games. She became the third woman and first Korean woman to win back-to-back golds at the 500m.
Participated event by competition Summer Olympics Nation485256606468727684889296000408121620 ••••••••• ••••••• ••••••••• d e••••••• dd d dd •• • • • •• •• •••• d ••••••••••••••••• ••••• ••• •••••• ••••••••• ••• •• •• ••• • •• •• •• • • ••••••••• •••••••• • • •••••••• • ••• ••••••••• ••••••••• • ••••••••••• • •••• •••• • ••••••••• ••••••••• ••••••••••••••• ••• ••••••••• • •• • •••••••• dd ••••• d d•••••• • •••••••••• •• • ••••••• ••••••••• ••••••••••••••••• d : demonstration sports e : exhibition sports
Winter Olympics Event48566064687276808488929498020610141822 ••• •••••• •••• ••• •••••• ••• ••• ••••••••••• •• •••••••••• ••• •••• • •••••• • d•••••••• ••••• •••••• ••• •••••••••••••••••• d : demonstration sports
Hosted Olympic logos and mottos 1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics, held in the capital of Seoul, marked the first time the Olympics were held in South Korea.
The logo consists of a rounded tricolor which represents the Olympic rings. The motto of the games was Harmony and Progress (화합과 전진).
2018 Winter Olympics The 2018 Winter Olympics saw the Olympics return to Korea when it was held in Pyeongchang.
The logo consists of five intertwined wings which represent the continents (Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania). The motto of the games was Passion. Connected. (하나된 열정; Hanadoen, Yeoljeong).
References
External links
See also South Korea at the Paralympics List of flag bearers for South Korea at the Olympics :Category:Olympic competitors for South Korea South Korea at the Asian Games