Despite returning to the Olympics after an eight-year hiatus, North Korea ended up in 68th place at the Paris Games, marking its lowest performance ever. With North Korean media maintaining a notably subdued reaction to this year’s results, there is growing curiosity about how the nation will welcome its returning athletes.
North Korea sent 15 athletes to compete in seven sports at the Paris Olympics: wrestling, diving, table tennis, boxing, gymnastics, athletics, and judo. The athletes earned six medals—one silver and one bronze in diving, two bronze medals in wrestling, one bronze in boxing, and one silver in table tennis.
With this performance, North Korea finished 68th out of 206 countries, marking its lowest Olympic ranking ever. It also represents the first time North Korea failed to win a gold medal in two decades, a streak last broken at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Historically, North Korea has welcomed its athletes with grandiose receptions whenever they achieve outstanding results. Since taking power, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has stressed the importance of “sports,” often showcasing his support for athletes to foster a culture of achievement through athletics.
At the 2012 London Olympics, North Korea clinched four gold medals and two bronze medals, finishing in 20th place. Upon their return, the athletes were embraced with a reception akin to state guests.
High-ranking officials from the party and government- including Kim Ki Nam, then-secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, and Kim Yong Jin, then-vice primer- welcomed the athletes at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, the country’s main airport in the capital. Many citizens of Pyongyang gathered at the airport to shower the athletes with bouquets, and as the team’s bus traveled through the city, citizens held flowers congratulating them in a celebratory “car parade.” Later, the athletes had a press conference at the Pyongyang Gymnasium and enjoyed a banquet hosted by the Cabinet at the Pyongyang Okryu Restaurant.
In the Rio 2016 Summer Games, North Korea won two gold medals, three silver medals, and two bronze medals, finishing in 34th place, a decline from their performance in London. Although the format of the events was similar, the atmosphere of celebration was not as grand as in previous years.
When the North Korean athletes returned, they were greeted by Ro Tu Chol, the deputy head of the National Sports Guidance Commission, and Kim Jong Su, the vice chairman of the Olympic Committee and first vice minister of sports. Unlike the 2012 welcome, there was no large public reception at the airport. However, the athletes did receive some recognition through a press conference held at the Pyongyang Gymnasium and a banquet hosted by the Cabinet.
Given past practices, North Korean athletes returning from the Paris Olympics will probably be treated respectfully. However, given their less impressive performance compared to previous competitions, they will unlikely receive extravagant receptions, such as a “car parade,” this time.
However, as North Korea promotes itself as a “sports powerhouse,” with Kim Jong Un showing a keen interest in sports and politics, the nation may hold large-scale events to rally public support. This is particularly important given the recent “historical flooding” in the northwest region of North Korea, necessitating a way to consolidate public support.