Kim Hyok Bong was crowned world champion in table tennis mixed doubles for the first time in the DPRK.
He began his playing career at the April 25 Sports Club in 1994 and was picked out by the national team in 2003.
Making his international debut at the sixth East Asian juvenile table tennis championships in Japan in 1997, he competed and acquitted himself well in the singles, team events and mixed doubles in various international events including the 2005 U-21 Grand Prix table tennis open.
His ability as a table tennis star was fully exhibited in the mixed doubles of the 52nd world table tennis championships (individual event) held in 2013.
In the fourth-round match Kim Hyok Bong and Kim Jong defeated Japanese 4-2 and beat south Koreans 4-1 in the quarter finals. In the semifinals they lost the first three rounds to Chinese Hong Kong players. But they completely changed the situation by running the matches proactively and with alacrity and won the match.
In the final match they trounced south Korean opponents 4-2 and lifted the trophy.
Later, Kim also won the table tennis mixed doubles events in the Sixth East Asian Games and the 17th Asian Games.
Kim was awarded the wrist watch bearing the name of Chairman Kim Jong Il and the title of People’s Athlete.
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