Nationality North Korean Name Jong Song-ok McCune–Reischauer Chong Song'ok | Choson'gul 정성옥 | |
 | ||
Born 18 August 1974 (age 49) ( 1974-08-18 ) Haeju, South Hwanghae | ||
Revised Romanization Jeong Seong-ok | ||
Pyongyang Marathon Runner: A North Korean Film
Jong Song-ok (Chosŏn'gŭl: 정성옥; born 18 August 1974) is a female long-distance runner from North Korea, who won the world title in the women's marathon at the 1999 World Championships in Athletics in Seville, Spain. To date, it is the only medal ever won by a North Korean athlete at the World Championships.
Contents
Career
She competed at 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, finishing 20th in the women's marathon.
In 2000, Jong did not participate in either the Boston Marathon or the Summer Olympics in Sydney; South Korean media claimed this was due to the personal instruction of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
Later life
A report on North Korean television in February 2002 stated that Jong had married, but did not give her husband's name. During the 2008 Olympic torch relay in Pyongyang, she was the last person to carry the Olympic torch through the streets.