In this regard, KCNA had an interview with Ko Myong Chol, vice-director of the Sports Science Institute under the Academy of Sports Science.

Question: I think that traditionally, the Korean people have been highly interested in marathon.

Answer: You are right.

Son Ki Jong finished first in men's marathon event of the 11th Olympic Games, when Korea was under the Japanese imperialists' colonial rule, and Jong Song Ok rose to fame in the world as marathon queen.

Traditionally, Koreans have had a liking for running.

An old Chinese book says ancient Koreans ran as fast as deer and that ten people, believed to be able to run 400 kilometers a day, had once visited China from Koguryo Kingdom (277 B.C.-668 A.D.)

In the 18th century, Korean scholars termed the liking "inborn", attributing it to geological conditions of the country with many mountains and hills.

Prior to the present-day athletic event, there were traditional track meets in Korea.

It has been told that towards the end of Ri Dynasty (1392-1910) there appeared a man who ran 200 kilometers from Jonju to Seoul in 12 hours.

This testifies to the fact that the Korean nation is constitutionally strong in persistence and endurance.