What punishment does Kim Jong Un give to North Korean athletes for failing to win Olympics medal?

After a series of grand sporting events, the Paris Olympics 2024 finally concluded on Sunday. North Korean athletes also participated in the 2024 Summer Olympics and also bagged some medals.

But, there are many occasions where athletes from North Korea returned home without medals. There are stories heard that non-medalists face punitive measures from North Korea's Supreme leader Kim Jong Un. In such a situation, the question arises whether Kim Jong Un really punishes and if this is true, then what punishment is given to North Korean athletes who return home without any win medals?

How was North Korea's performance at the Paris Olympics in 2024?

Sixteen athletes from North Korea competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, taking home a collection of six medals, including two silver and four bronze medals. This time, the North Korean contingent did not win a single gold medal. 

Recently, North Korean athletes were also in the news after taking a selfie with a South Korean athlete. Despite the tension between South Korea and North Korea, athletes from both countries were seen together. After these photos surfaced online, it sparked rumours that Kim Jong Un might step in against the athletes for taking photos with the South Korean athletes.

Gold Target

During the 2012 London Olympics, North Korea showed a strong performance, securing 4 gold medals. The heroes were welcomed back home with much fanfare and enthusiasm. They were fuelled with encouragement to aim even higher at the next Rio Olympics, targeting 5 gold medals and an ambitious haul of 17 medals in total. Unfortunately, North Korean athletes were not able to achieve this target at the Rio Olympics.

What punishment do North Korean athletes get after not winning Olympic medals?

In a couple of days, we might find out what happens to those athletes who did not secure Olympic medals in the 33rd edition of the Summer Olympics. Looking back historically, it gives us a fair idea of how North Korea tends to treat its returning athletes, whether medal winners or non-medal winners.

Notably, North Korea did not participate in the last 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo in 2021 because of a self-imposed COVID-19 lockdown. North Korean athletes previously participated at the 2016 Rio Olympics. 
It is common that in North Korea, if a medal is won in the Olympics, then a different respect is given and if it is not won, then it is mistreated. 

After the athletes who won gold medals in the 2012 London Games returned to Pyongyang, they were welcomed and Kim Jong-un gave luxurious apartments to the athletes on the river bank. Apart from this, they are also are given gifts like houses, cars etc.

Reportedly, athletes failing to win medals had a different experience. When their performances were below par at the Olympics or other similar tournaments, they were often reassigned to manual labor chores then later withdrawn. According to reports from several media organisations like Korea Times and The Sun, after not achieving the target in Rio Olympics, they were asked to live in poor quality houses and some were even sent to work in coal mines for a few days. 

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