Ri Nam Chol, secretary of the committee, said in an interview with KCNA that a conspicuous innovation was made in the physical culture and sports activities in the country last year to gain proud successes.

DPRK sports men and women, he added, bagged 149 medals including 51 gold medals in the 29th Olympiad, 2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and other important international games.

And 46 athletes set up new records of the DPRK in more than 30 categories of events including weightlifting, track and field and archery in the Mangyongdae Cup Sports Contest and other national sports tournaments and sports technical renovation contests.

Meanwhile, the committee sponsored international courses for football, basket ball, boxing, wrestling, archery, field hockey, swimming and track and field.