Merited Athlete

Merited Athlete
Awarded for	"[Making] distinguished contributions to the nation's athletics, receiving the love and respect of the people for devoting [one's self] to national and social projects"[1]
Country	North Korea

Merited Athlete
Chosŏn'gŭl	공훈체육인
Hancha	功勳體育人
Revised Romanization	Gonghun cheyugin
McCune–Reischauer	Konghun ch'eyugin

Merited Athlete is an honorary title of North Korea given to sports persons.[2] It is awarded to "athletes and workers engaged in the athletic field who make distinguished contributions to the nation's athletics, receiving the love and respect of the people for devoting themselves to national and social projects".[1] A typical achievement is winning a regional competition in Asia.[3] The title was instituted in November 1960.[1]

As of 1984^[update], Merited Athletes are paid a 70-won (32-dollar) monthly pension after they retire at age 60, equivalent to an ordinary office worker's pay.[4] Merited Athletes have also been given luxurious apartments.[5] A Merited Athlete may become a sporting coach if they complete a four-year course at the Korean Athletics University.[3]

Sports persons may also be awarded the titles of People's Athlete or Hero of Labour.[2]

Recipients

In 2001, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that 320 or more people have been awarded either the title of Merited Athlete or the related title of People's Athlete since 1986.[1] As of December 2011^[update], around 200 people in total had received the title of People's Athlete.[6]

List

Name	Occupation	Notes	Ref
Cha Hyon-hyang	female judoka	coached by Ri Song-cho	[7]
Choe Chang-sop	marathoner	winner of the Košice Peace Marathon in 1975	[8]
Ji Kyong-sun	female judoka	coached by Ri Song-cho	[7]
Jon Chol-ho	weightlifter		[1]
Kim Chol-jin	weightlifter	Disciple of Han Kyong-thae and coach of Kwon Yong-gwang	[9]
Kim Hyon-hui	table tennis player		[1]
Kim Kum-sil	female footballer	subsequently member of the Supreme People's Assembly	[10]
Kim So-hyang	footballer	North Korea women's national under-20 football team player excelling at the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup	[11]
Ku Yong-jo	boxer	Competed in the bantamweight (54 kg) category.	[12]
Mun Gyong-ae	marathoner	awarded for outstanding performances	[8]
North Korea 1966 FIFA World Cup squad players	footballers	Almost all players of the squad were awarded the title.	[2]
Pak Chong-jong	basketball player		[1]
Pak Kwang-bok	gymnastics coach	Rhythmic gymnastics coach of the Kigwancha Sports Club	[13]
Pak Sun-nyo	tumbling coach	Coach of Ri Chol-jun, Kim Un-hak, and other gymnasts	[14]
Ri Byong-uk	boxer	Competed in the light flyweight (48 kg) category.	[12]
Ri Hyang-sim	female footballer	coached by Kim Kyong-hui	[15]
Ri Myong-hwa	female judoka	coached by Ri Song-cho	[7]
Ri Se-gwang	artistic gymnast	National champion in floor, rings and vaulting horse, and gold medalist at the 2006 Asian Games and 2008 World Cup in gymnastics	[16]
Ri Ye-gyong	female footballer	coached by Kim Kyong-hui	[15]

See also

• Orders, decorations, and medals of North Korea
• Sport in North Korea
• The Game of Their Lives (2002 film)

References

1. North Korea Handbook 2002, p. 496.
2. Weiser, Martin (8 January 2016). "Chests Full of Brass: A DPRK Political History in Orders, Medals, Prizes, and Titles". Sino-NK. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
3. Seol Song Ah (1 February 2018). "North Korea's athlete factories: how they work". Daily NK. Retrieved 2 April 2018.^[permanent dead link‍]
4. "ROK Outshines N.K. in 8 Sports". Korea Newsreview. 13 (1–26). Seoul: The Korea Herald: 217. 1984. OCLC 473441715.
5. "North Korea's Dash toward Sports Power" (PDF). Vantage Point. 37 (10): 25–26. 2014. ISSN 1228-517X. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
6. "Sportspersons Honored with Title of People's Athlete". Korean Central News Agency. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
7. "Chief Coach of Female Judo". Korea Today. No. 6. 2001. p. [42]. ISSN 0454-4072.
8. North Korea Handbook 2002, p. 492.
9. "Reliable Ace". Naenara. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
10. "[Annotated full list of elected MP's]" (XLS). North Korean Economy Watch. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
11. "Player No. 20". Naenara. 13 September 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
12. North Korea Handbook 2002, p. 491.
13. Choe 2016, p. 28.
14. "Tumbling Coach". Naenara. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
15. Ri Sung Ik (28 December 2017). "Coach grooms famous woman footballers". The Pyongyang Times. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
16. "Gymnastics Ace". Naenara. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2016.

Works cited

• Choe Kwang Ho (2016). "Laudable Women Coaches". Pictorial Korea. Vol. 723, no. 3. pp. 28–29. ISSN 1727-9208.
• North Korea Handbook. Seoul: Yonhap News Agency. 2002. ISBN 978-0-7656-3523-5.

Further reading

• Kim Jong-il (1989). On Popularizing Physical Training and Sport and Developing Sporting Skills Rapidly: Talk to the Officials in the Field of Physical Training and Sport, May 19, 1986 (PDF). Pyongyang: Foreign Languages Publishing House. OCLC 869091620.