Player aspiring after top weightlifter
Kim Il Gyong is a woman weightlifter of the April 25 Combat Sports Team who was selected as one of the top ten best players of the DPRK in 2024 after 2022 and 2023.
Since she started her career as a weightlifter, she has immersed herself in training by displaying her natural aptitude and amazing perseverance and fortitude.
She participated in the Asian Junior and Youth Weightlifting Championships to register good results. Later, she fully displayed her capability in domestic and international games.
In the women's 59kg weightlifting of the 19th Asian Games in 2023, in particular, she established a new world record in snatch and new records of the games in jerk and total, thereby winning three gold medals.
As a result, she joined the ranks of the world record holders in the domestic women's weightlifting circles.
Her eyes were fixed on the world games beyond Asia.
Though she won four gold and two silver medals at the women's 59kg category in the 2024 Asian Weightlifting Championships and 2024 IWF World Cup last year, she could not rest on her laurels. Her aim was not the mere first place, but the record-breaking top place.
She made painstaking efforts with great ambition and finally felt the joy of success.
She snatched three gold medals and the best player award at the 2024 IWF World Championships by snatching 108kg, jerking 141kg (new world record) and lifting 249kg in total (new world record).
"Victory for medal cannot be called a victory. The genuine victory is the win achieved by setting a new record," said Kim, winner of the Kim Il Sung Children Honour Prize and Merited Athlete.
She now holds all the world records of the women's 59kg snatch, jerk and total.
Woman of ability in weightlifting circles
Known as one of the aces in the women's weightlifting circles, Ri Song Gum is the winner of the Kim Il Sung Youth Honour Prize and Merited Athlete.
She was one of the top ten players of the DPRK in succession from 2021 to 2024.
Starting to learn weightlifting at a county juvenile sports school (at that time), she laid stepping stones to success with painstaking efforts.
With her special ability in jerk, she always won victory in different domestic and international games in succession by relying on it as a weapon, recording a new record.
She snatched three gold medals at the women's 44kg category of the 2014 Asian Junior and Youth Weightlifting Championships and established a new world record in jerk.
She won the women's weightlifting event of the 19th Asian Games in 2023 and renewed her world record in the jerk and total events at the 49kg category in the 2024 Asian Weightlifting Championships and the 2024 IWF World Cup.
More From Pyongyang Times
A spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry rejected Japan’s interference in the country’s internal affairs at a press conference
November 18, 2025
A spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry rejected Japan’s interference in the country’s internal affairs at a press conference
The reliable women footballers of the DPRK won the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup this year following last year, and lifted the
November 18, 2025
The reliable women footballers of the DPRK won the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup this year following last year, and lifted the
Chongdan County of South Hwanghae Province celebrated the birthday of the third centenarian this year. The respected Comrade Kim
November 18, 2025
Chongdan County of South Hwanghae Province celebrated the birthday of the third centenarian this year. The respected Comrade Kim
The 23rd Taekwon-Do World Championships were successfully held in Italy last October. The DPRK players topped the country
November 18, 2025
The 23rd Taekwon-Do World Championships were successfully held in Italy last October. The DPRK players topped the country
The people across the DPRK significantly marked Mother's Day. People visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the sacred temple of
November 18, 2025
The people across the DPRK significantly marked Mother's Day. People visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the sacred temple of
The Wonhwa Farm in Phyongwon County of South Phyongan Province harvested bumper crops this year in the fields with the honour of
November 18, 2025
The Wonhwa Farm in Phyongwon County of South Phyongan Province harvested bumper crops this year in the fields with the honour of
The implementation of the Regional Development 20×10 Policy of the Workers’ Party of Korea is being pushed ahead in different
November 18, 2025
The implementation of the Regional Development 20×10 Policy of the Workers’ Party of Korea is being pushed ahead in different
The Sunchon Cement Complex is ramping up its production. Thanks to the devoted efforts of its workers to unconditionally attain
November 18, 2025
The Sunchon Cement Complex is ramping up its production. Thanks to the devoted efforts of its workers to unconditionally attain
The construction of thousands of rural dwellings planned for this year has been successfully completed in Ryanggang Province. The
November 18, 2025
The construction of thousands of rural dwellings planned for this year has been successfully completed in Ryanggang Province. The
Thongsavanh Phomvihane, foreign minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, and his party left Pyongyang on November 15
November 17, 2025
Thongsavanh Phomvihane, foreign minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, and his party left Pyongyang on November 15
The delegation of the Russian news agency Segodnya led by First Deputy Editor-in-Chief Sergei Kochetkov left Pyongyang for home on
November 17, 2025
The delegation of the Russian news agency Segodnya led by First Deputy Editor-in-Chief Sergei Kochetkov left Pyongyang for home on
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the hostile policy of Europe in a recent interview with an Italian newspaper.
November 17, 2025
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov criticized the hostile policy of Europe in a recent interview with an Italian newspaper.
This year, many young people across the country volunteered to work at major fronts for implementing the decisions of the Workers'
November 17, 2025
This year, many young people across the country volunteered to work at major fronts for implementing the decisions of the Workers'
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a birthday spread to Ri Kyong Chan on his 90th birthday. The birthday spread reflects the
November 17, 2025
The respected Comrade Kim Jong Un sent a birthday spread to Ri Kyong Chan on his 90th birthday. The birthday spread reflects the
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry at a press conference on November 10 denounced the Japanese prime minister’s reckless
November 16, 2025
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry at a press conference on November 10 denounced the Japanese prime minister’s reckless
November 16 is the founding anniversary of UNESCO. A meeting of the preparatory committee for founding UNESCO took place in London
November 16, 2025
November 16 is the founding anniversary of UNESCO. A meeting of the preparatory committee for founding UNESCO took place in London
Thongsavanh Phomvihane, foreign minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to pay
November 15, 2025
Thongsavanh Phomvihane, foreign minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to pay
Pak Thae Song, premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, met Thongsavanh Phomvihane, foreign minister
November 15, 2025
Pak Thae Song, premier of the Cabinet of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, met Thongsavanh Phomvihane, foreign minister
Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, was presented with the credentials of
November 15, 2025
Kim Jong Un, president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, was presented with the credentials of
The DPRK team set several new records in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup held in Morocco. It won every match in the event and
November 15, 2025
The DPRK team set several new records in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup held in Morocco. It won every match in the event and
More Articles
