The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPR Korea, or PRK to the IOC), known to most of the world as North Korea, has recently qualified a pairs figure skating duo (Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik) for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. It was not certain any North Korean athletes would qualify, and no North Koreans competed at Sochi in 2014.

DPR Korea first competed at the Olympics in 1964 and it was at the Innsbruck Winter Olympics, with a team of 13 athletes, 6 men and 7 women. Including 1964 they have competed 8 previous times at the Winter Olympics, missing 1968, 1976, 1980, 1994, 2002, and 2014.

DPR Korea has had two Winter Olympic medalists, both women speedskaters. In 1964 Han Pil-Hwa won a silver medal in 3,000 metres speedskating, while in 1992, Hwang Ok-Sil won a bronze medal in 500 metres short-track speedskating. Here is the complete record of their previous Winter Olympic participation.

[table]

WinOly,Men,Women,Total

1964,6,7,13

1972,0,6,6

1984,3,3,6

1988,3,3,6

1992,9,11,20

1998,2,6,8

2006,2,4,6

2010,1,1,2

[/table]

[table]

DPR Korea (North),###,1G,2G

Total,62,57,5

Men,25,24,1

Women,37,33,4

[/table]

[table]

Men – Sport,Nation,###,1G,2G

Alpine Skiing,PRK,1,1,0

Cross-Country Skiing,PRK,4,4,0

Figure Skating,PRK,7,7,0

Speedskating,PRK,10,9,1

Short-Track Speedskating,PRK,3,3,0

[/table]

[table]

Women – Sport,Nation,###,1G,2G

Alpine Skiing,PRK,1,1,0

Cross-Country Skiing,PRK,4,4,0

Figure Skating,PRK,6,6,0

Speedskating,PRK,19,16,3

Short-Track Speedskating,PRK,7,6,1

[/table]