Hello from Hangzhou: Saying hello to North Korean athletes
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ST's David Lee coming face to face with North Korea's world record-breaking weightlifter Ri Song-gum at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
ST PHOTO: DAVID LEE
HANGZHOU – I met a strongwoman from North Korea and lived to tell the tale.
I exaggerate, but Ri Song Gum is the Asian Games women’s 49kg champion in weightlifting.
I had chanced upon five North Korean weightlifters at the Xiaoshan Sports Centre Gymnasium on Sunday and, right away, was drawn to their bubbliness and inquisitiveness. My curiosity was also piqued by Ri and Kang Hyong Yong winning two gold medals and setting five world records the day before. The team would go on to win another two golds on Monday.
Ri, the pocket dynamo who is only 1.4m, would not have stood out in a crowd if not for her stylish tracksuit with the words DPR Korea emblazoned on the back.
In competitions, whether it is weightlifting or table tennis, North Korean athletes are often stoic and stern, their faces unreadable and communication near impossible.
And without observing the behaviour of the weighlifters up close, I would have remained ignorant and relied on stereotypes of them being a serious bunch who grew up in an authoritarian state and lived perpetually in fear.
The quintet were waiting to take pictures with life-size mascot Chenchen. They then moved on to the weightlifting figurine of another mascot Congcong.
While it did not seem like the athletes had their own mobile phones, a team official snapped photos with his. The group then huddled around him to check out the photos, only to be approached by excited local fans who wanted a wefie with Ri, who happily obliged.
Unashamedly, I ended up saying hello and asking for one, too. She nodded but communication was impossible as she spoke no English or Mandarin and I don’t know Munhwao.
This is North Korea’s first major sports outing since the 2018 Asian Games – the hermit kingdom bolted its already tight borders in early 2020 owing to the pandemic and was banned from the 2022 Winter Olympics by the International Olympic Committee for failing to take part in the Tokyo Games in 2021.
The temporary exile has not stopped the North Koreans from medalling in Hangzhou
Inside the weightlifting venue, where the lights were dimmed and grunts reverberated round the compact 1,900-seater, it was clear the North Koreans take their sport seriously.
As Ri Won Ju tried to muster a world-record 190kg clean and jerk lift to overtake China’s Chen Lijun in the men’s 67kg final, his flag-toting teammates, sitting in front of the South Korean athletes, cheered him on vociferously.
As did his three coaches, who watched from the sidelines and comically looked like they were going to fall over when he failed, before his female coach gave him a reassuring pat on the back for winning a silver.
North Korea's weightlifters taking photos at the Xiaoshan Sports Centre Gymnasium.
ST PHOTO: DAVID LEE
The North Korean contingent also showed sportsmanship when they applauded their opponents – Thailand’s Witsanu Chantri, who was injured from a lift, and the Chinese champion.
In the media tribune, I also met two North Korean journalists, one of whom spoke mandarin. While our exchange was brief, he said that they traditionally excel in shooting, weightlifting, gymnastics, wrestling and judo.
The press conference also provided a rare glimpse into the psyche of North Korean athletes, who rarely give interviews.
Chaperoned by an official, Won Ju said: “This was my first time in a world-class competition and I was feeling nervous inside. My parents, my coach and my teammates have given me so much support and I feel it is a regret I didn’t get gold.”
And then he was whisked away without fielding the media mixed zone, as the sporting world awaits their next big achievement.
