Kim Jong-un Promises North Korean Olympic Medalists Lavish Rewards Including Luxury Apartments, Cars, and Fridges!

According to SAEDNEWS, In 2013, several star athletes from North Korea who excelled at the London Games in 2012 were celebrated for their achievements in a manner befitting the totalitarian regime. The state news agency KCNA reported that these athletes were rewarded with luxurious accommodations along the scenic Pothong River in the capital city of Pyongyang, a stark contrast to the grim realities faced by those who do not meet the regime’s expectations.

Gold medal winners such as Om Yun-chul, An Kum-ae, and Kim Un-guk were among those who reaped the rewards of their hard work. Luxury cars and even household appliances like refrigerators were part of the state’s lavish gifts to athletes who brought home victories. This opulence highlights the regime’s desire to showcase success while also underlining the harsh penalties that await those who fail.

Champion weightlifter Om expressed his gratitude at receiving such rewards, attributing his victories to the “deep-loving care” of Kim Jong-un. According to KCNA, he stated, “We sportspersons could exalt the dignity and honor of Songun (military-first) Korea with gold medals in international games thanks to the deep loving care of Kim Jong-un, who has always led us in each match, instilling strength and courage into us.”

Long-distance runner Kim Kum-ok also found herself in the spotlight, receiving a luxury apartment that brought her to tears. She conveyed her emotional response, stating, “I could hardly enter the flat as every room of the wonderful flat is associated with the profound loving care of the Marshal (Jong-un), and I was deeply touched by the benevolence under the grateful socialist system. I keenly realized once again under what profound loving care we are living.”

As North Korea competes in the ongoing Paris Olympics, the performances thus far have not yet matched the gold medal success of London, where the country claimed three golds. However, with their current tally of two silver medals—one in table tennis and another in diving—and two bronze medals in diving and boxing, the athletes may still hope for rewarding homecomings.

Yet, the potential for lavish rewards contrasts sharply with the harsh realities faced by athletes who fail to meet expectations. The most infamous case of punishment occurred after the national football team’s unexpected success in the 1966 World Cup in England. Following their defeat by Portugal, players reportedly faced severe repercussions upon their return home, with then-leader Kim Il-sung allegedly sentencing them to one of North Korea's most notorious prisons.

Defector Kang Chol-Hwan recounted his interaction with the disgraced players while

in Yodok Prison in his memoir, The Aquariums of Pyongyang. In more recent years, Kim Hyeong-Soo, another defector who fled North Korea in 2009, alleged that athletes and their coaches were subjected to months of hard labor for failing to please the regime.

In 2010, FIFA investigated claims that the North Korean national football team faced severe penalties after suffering a humiliating 7-0 loss to Portugal at the World Cup in South Africa. The pressure to win not only affects the lives of these athletes but serves as a powerful reminder of the critical role sports play in North Korea’s national identity.

The contrasting realities experienced by North Korean athletes—rewarded for success and punished for failure—paint a vivid picture of life under a regime that intertwines sports with state ideology. As supporters cheer on their athletes in Paris, the stakes remain profoundly high, revealing the complex interplay between glory and despair in the world of North Korean sports.