IOC aids DPRK athletes to attend Olympics

Yonhap
3/6/2010

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) provided US$115,200 worth of support for the training of North Korean athletes who took part in the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, a Washington-based radio station said Saturday.

From November 2008 through last month, the IOC provided monthly support of $1,500 to each of five North Korean athletes, two of whom participated in the Olympics that ended March 1, the international broadcaster Radio Free Asia reported, citing an e-mail from the committee.

The communist North sent figure skaters Ko Hyun-sook and Ri Song-chol to the Vancouver Olympics, but failed to win a medal.

The impoverished Pyongyang, which relies on outside aid to feed its 24 million people, has won a total of two [WINTER] Olympic medals — a silver in women’s speed skating in 1964 and a bronze in women’s short track skating in 1992 — in its history.

Establishing the Olympic scholarship program in the 1960s, the IOC provides cash support to impoverished nations like North Korea to encourage participation of all countries in the international sports event.

The IOC is willing to support North Korean athletes again for the 2012 London Olympics, the committee said in the e-mail, adding it will accept applications from September this year.

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3 Responses to “IOC aids DPRK athletes to attend Olympics”

  1. yozo says:

    “The impoverished Pyongyang, which relies on outside aid to feed its 24 million people, has won a total of two Olympic medals — a silver in women’s speed skating in 1964 and a bronze in women’s short track skating in 1992 — in its history.”

    That should read “Winter Olympic Medals.” They have some superstars in the Summer Olympics. Sun Hui Kye alone is a three time medalists (she’s got one of each shinny metals) and that in one of the most competitive sports in the world (by number of participating countries).

  2. NKeconWatch says:

    Thanks for the tip. I insterted that little factoid in the article.

  3. Diyoris says:

    Only Ri Song-Chol is a figure skater. Ko Hyon-Suk is a speed skater.