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North Korea to participate in Sochi Olympics

In the whole history of the Winter Olympics North Korea participated only in two Winter Olympic Games and won two medals

Photo ITAR-TASS/Sergei Kavashkin

Photo ITAR-TASS/Sergei Kavashkin

PYONGYANG, August 6 (Itar-Tass) - North Korea “will participate in Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Deputy Chief of the leading North Korean army sports club ‘April 25’ Ri Gen Sam said in an exclusive interview with Itar-Tass on Tuesday.

He recalled that the republic has been participating in the Olympics since 1964. “We hope that the upcoming Sochi Olympics will become an important event for development of friendship and sports exchanges between different countries,” the colonel said.

In his words, state authorities in North Korea are more intensively supporting winter sports and point the whole nation to them. An open-air skate rink was opened in Pyongyang and a major ski centre is being built on Masik mountain pass in eastern North Korea.

In the whole history of the Winter Olympics North Korea participated only in two Winter Olympic Games and won two medals (a silver medal in 1964 and a bronze medal in 1992). North Korean athletes have won 46 medals, including 14 gold medals, at the Summer Olympics.

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