In 1991 Kim Gwang-suk won the first medal, a gold on uneven bars, for North Korea at the World Championships. However, her win became controversial when it was discovered that North Korean officials had falsified her birth year as it was listed as 15 for three years in a row.[1] Although the International Gymnastics Federation punished the North Korean gymnastics federation by barring their women's team from competing at the 1993 World Championships, they did allow Kim to keep her medal.[2] North Korea faced further age-falsification controversy when it was discovered that 2007 World silver medalist Hong Su-jong had listed three different birth years (1989, 1985 and 1986) between 2003 and 2010.[3][4]
| North Korea at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IOC code | PRK |
| Medals |
|
Pae Gil-su became the first North Korean man to win a World Championships medal, winning gold on pommel horse in 1992.[5]
Medalists
edit| Medal | Name | Year | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
 Gold |
Kim Gwang-suk |  1991 Indianapolis |
Women's uneven bars |
| Gold |
Pae Gil-su |  1992 Paris |
Men's pommel horse |
| Gold |
Pae Gil-su |  1993 Birmingham |
Men's pommel horse |
| Gold |
Pae Gil-su |  1996 San Juan |
Men's pommel horse |
 Bronze |
Pae Gil-su |  1997 Lausanne |
Men's pommel horse |
 Silver |
Kang Yun-mi | 2003 Anaheim |
Women's vault |
| Silver |
Hong Su-jong |  2007 Stuttgart |
Women's vault |
| Bronze |
Ri Se-gwang | Men's vault | |
| Bronze |
Hong Un-jong |  2013 Antwerp |
Women's vault |
| Gold |
Hong Un-jong |  2014 Nanning |
Women's vault |
| Gold |
Ri Se-gwang | Men's vault | |
| Silver |
Hong Un-jong | 2015 Glasgow |
Women's vault |
| Gold |
Ri Se-gwang | Men's vault | |
| Gold |
Ri Se-gwang |  2018 Doha |
Men's vault |
Medal tables
editBy gender
edit| Gender | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 6 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| Women | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
References
edit- ^ "China's 2008 gymnastics gold medalists of age". OU Daily. October 1, 2008.
- ^ Clarey, Christopher (April 19, 1996). "Gold Medalist and His Team May Be Barred From Olympic Games : Last Chance for a North Korean Athlete". New York Times.
- ^ "North Korea banned 2 years for age falsification". The San Diego Union-Tribune. November 5, 2010.
- ^ "FIG probing Hong Su Jong's birthdate". ESPN. October 2, 2010.
- ^ "Gymnastics - World Artistic Gymnastics Championships - 1992". TheSports.org.