[Wang Son-taek] Korea’s standing at Olympics over 100 years

The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris wrapped up a 17-day run with a dazzling closing ceremony on Sunday. Although the South Korean team participated in the event with its smallest number of athletes since 1976, it exceeded expectations by winning 32 medals, including 13 gold medals.

In the overall medal standings, South Korea ranked eighth, placing itself among the ranks of France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany as one of the top 10 sports powers. It may look natural now to see South Korea as one of the nations on the leaderboard with the advanced European countries. However, going back 100 years, you can see how far Koreans have come.

The 1924 Olympics were also held in Paris, for the eighth Games since the first modern Olympics in Athens, Greece in 1896. France contributed significantly to developing the Olympics into one of the largest events on earth. However, there was no place for Korea. At that time, Korea remained occupied by Japan. For those who lost their country, the Olympics were not a festival, but a heartbreaking event.

The event in 1924 was not the first time that Korea could not participate in international events, thanks to Japan's colonization.

Japan's colonial policy began explicitly by declaring war against Russia on Feb. 8, 1904. Fifteen days after the declaration, Japan signed a diplomatic protocol with Korea. Under this treaty, Japan freely used Korean territory when it deemed necessary for military purposes. Korea signed another agreement with Japan on the use of foreign advisers six months later on Aug. 22, due to Japan's coercion. As a result, Korea had to invite foreigners, as suggested by Japan, as government advisers to proceed with national tasks after obtaining advice and consent on financial and foreign affairs.

Following the military issue, Korea lost its sovereignty in the fields of foreign and fiscal policy. Japan won the war with Russia in September 1905, and on Nov. 17, two months later, signed a forceful agreement defining Korea as a protectorate -- the Japan-Korea Treaty by Coercion of 1905 -- and fully colonized Korea. Japan was not satisfied with just colonizing Korea though. It annexed it on Aug. 29, 1910, making the Korean Peninsula a part of Japan.

Although the Korean people were embarrassed by losing their state, they could not immediately resist.

It had been customary to obey the decisions of the royal family and high-ranking officials for thousands of years. The situation where many of the royal family and the elite fell into ignorance, incompetence and corruption, leading to the disappearance of the nation was unimaginable.

On March 1, 1919, the Korean people took action to recover the country.

The Korean people revolted to demand independence. About 1,700 demonstrations erupted in various parts of the country over six months. It is estimated that about 930 people lost their lives in the protests, with more than 1 million people in the streets.

A government in exile was established thanks to the uprising. In April 1919, the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was formed in Shanghai, China, declaring Korea an independent country and war with Japan. However, no major power approved the government of Korea in the times of imperialism. This is why there was no place for Korea in Paris in 1924.

By the 1930s, imperialism had grown more violent. The Olympics had turned into a promotional event for powerful countries. The 1936 Berlin Olympics was a symbolic example. For Koreans, in particular, the event became the site of an unspeakable grievance.

Korean marathoner Son Ki-jung participated in the 1936 Olympics and won the gold medal. He was the first Korean to win an Olympic gold medal -- but he did so under the banner of Japan. Koreans had no choice but to shed tears and curse the heavens.

Korea has been able to participate in the Olympics under its own name since 1948, but due to national poverty, gold medals were long out of reach. Korea's gold wish was finally realized when Yang Jeong-mo won the top medal in wrestling in 1976 in Montreal, 40 years after Son. A Korean stood atop the victory stand, the national flag was raised and the national anthem was played. On this day, Koreans shed tears of emotion, as it was the first day we confirmed our place at the Olympics.

We realized we had a place in the Olympics, but we could not really enjoy it. Its history as a small and weak country was so impactful that it was uncomfortable to enjoy the Olympics.

Since 1976, Korean athletes have not stopped winning gold, but the awkward atmosphere has persisted. Because Korean players are aware of the people's desire, the pressure to win gold has been too high. There was a place for Korea in the Olympics, but it was no different from not having it because they could not enjoy it comfortably.

The 2024 Paris Games are touching because South Korea might have finally, truly found its place.

Korean athletes no longer dwell on confirming Korea's presence as an independent country with Olympic gold medals. They expressed their willingness to fully enjoy the Olympics without feeling unnecessary pressure.

The Korean people also tended to be moved by how athletes did their best rather than the outcome of the games. As a nation that has not engaged in the colonization of other countries and has suffered greatly from coercive policies, we hope that the Korean experience serves as a reminder that any form of imperialism should be rejected.

Even the smallest and weakest nations can find their place in the Olympics and enjoy the festival alongside friends from around the world.

Wang Son-taek

Wang Son-taek is an adjunct professor at Sogang University. He is a former diplomatic correspondent at YTN and a former research associate at Yeosijae. The views expressed here are the writer’s own. -- Ed.