North Korea at the 2002 Asian Games
North Korea participated in the 2002 Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea, from September 29 to October 14, 2002. Their participation marked their sixth Asian Games appearance. The North Korean delegation consisted of 318 people. North Korean athletes won total nine gold, eleven silver, and thirteen bronze medals. North Korea finished ninth in the final medal table standings.Background
North Korea debuted in the Asian Games in 1974 in Tehran, Iran. Due to the legacy of bitterness in between the relationships of North Korea and its two neighboring countries, South Korea and Japan, North Korea did not participate in the 1986 and 1994 Asian Games hosted by South Korea and Japan, respectively. This was the first time in the history that North Korea competed in an international sporting event hosted by South Korea. North Korea also boycotted the 1988 Summer Olympics held in the national capital of South Korea, Seoul.
National Olympic Committee of North Korea, Olympic Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, selected a delegation consisting of 184 athletes, and 134 officials.Medals
North Korean athletes won medals in 10 different sports and disciplines: athletics, diving, football, gymnastics, judo, rowing, shooting, table tennis, weightlifting, and wrestling. Nine gold medals were won by North Korean athletes in the Games, two in each gymnastics and shooting, and one medal in each athletics, football, judo, table tennis, and weightlifting.
