IOC site features 1st Korean Olympic gold medalist Sohn

“Back in Korea, Sohn Kee-chung became a national hero. One newspaper, The Dong-A Ilbo, published a wire service photo of Sohn on the victory platform but with one alteration: Dong-A painted over the Japanese flag on Sohn`s sweatshirt. The Japanese colonial government responded by jailing eight reporters and suspending its publication for nine months.”

The International Olympic Committee said on its website Thursday that Sohn (1912-2002) was a Korean and a sense of pride among his people. The Korean won his country`s first Olympic gold medal in the marathon in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin while Japan ruled the Korean Peninsula.

The site covered the runner`s story and his agony under Japanese colonial rule (www.olympic.org/kitei-son) as well as the proud history of The Dong-A Ilbo.

The Korean Olympic Committee asked the IOC to change his Japanese name of Kitei Son and nationality at the end of last month. The IOC accepted the request on a limited basis, describing his victory and historical background in detail. It also mentioned Nam Seung-ryong (1912-2001), who won a bronze medal in the marathon in the Berlin Olympics.

The IOC also said, “On November 3, 1935, Sohn Kee-chung of Korea set a world marathon record of 2:26:42.0.”

The main section of the story remains unchanged, however, with his Japanese name “Kitei Son.” The IOC said this cannot be changed because the record at the Berlin Olympics is history.

beetlez@donga.com