In a sea of red shirts, millions of "Red Devil" supporters on the street chanted "Dae-han-min-guk (Great Korea)" as Korea advanced to the final four in the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan. The superb organization and extraordinary warmth of hospitality the host people offered to visiting fans justified FIFA's decision to break with tradition and give Asia its first opportunity to stage the event.

Traditionally the Korean people have enjoyed various sporting activities and games. Yet, Koreans began recording good achievements in international competitive sports with the economic boom in the 1970s. The most noteworthy accomplishments in recent years include the successful hosting of the l988 Summer Olympic Games and the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan.

Korea's achievements at the 2002 World Cup was indeed miraculous. After securing their first World Cup victory against Poland, Korean national soccer team began to rewrite the nation's soccer history. The "Taegeuk Warriors" defeated Portugal to advance to the second round, followed by an epic win over Italy to clinch a place in the quarterfinals, and finally a penalty shoot-out victory over Spain to move to the semi-finals. These surprise achievements and millions of "Red Devil" supporters on the street had greatly impressed the soccer fans throughout the world, and they elected Korea as the most entertaining team of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan.

Korean national soccer team again showed fighting sprit in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. The team had drawn global attention with its one-win, one-draw, one-loss showing against Togo, France and Switzerland, though it was unable to proceed to the second round of the match. Now, the squad is set to prepare for a new challenge: the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

Considering the size and population of Korea, its performance in the international sports arena has been outstanding. The country came into the international limelight at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics where it garnered 19 medals, including six golds, ranking as one of the best 10. During the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Korean athletes won 12 gold and 21 silver and bronze medals, ranked fourth in the overall medal standing. In Barcelona, Korea received 29 medals, including 12 golds. Koreans felt proudest when the marathon laurel was put on the head of Hwang Young-jo. During the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the Korean delegation again solidified its position as an international leader by winning 27 medals, seven of those being gold. In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Korea garnered 28 medals including eight gold medals.

Korean men and women are faring very well in winter sports, too, especially in the short-track events. In the 1992 Alberville Winter Olympics, Koreans secured five medals, three of them golds. The 1994 Lillehammer Olympiad presented the Korean team with six medals, four of them golds. In Nagano in 1998, Koreans won six medals, including three golds. In the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Korea received six medals, three of them were golds.

At the same time, Korea's physically challenged athletes did their own part in enhancing the reputation of their country as a leading sports power. They won 30 medals, including 13 golds in the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics. During the 2000 Sydney Olympics, they garnered 42 medals, 18 of them were golds.

Some of the events Koreans are making a strong showing include the marathon, taekwondo, judo, wrestling, archery, shooting, badminton, handball, field hockey, golf and short-track speed skating. Korea qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals six times, five of them continuously since 1986, which is unparalleled in Asia. Many professional soccer and baseball players have been recruited by first-rate clubs in Japan, the United States and Europe. Many Korean golfers have won LPGA and PGA tournaments in recent years, demonstrating the phenomenal growth of the sport in Korea.

The traditional martial art of taekwondo has spread to more than 165 countries and has an estimated adherents of more than 40 million worldwide. Taekwondo became an official event at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The most popular sports in Korea are soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball and the traditional wrestling, ssireum. Many professional teams have been formed and star players are supported by large fan clubs. Contemporary Koreans also enjoy mountain climbing, jogging, badminton, swimming, aerobics, table tennis, bowling, squash and tennis. The enormous number of mountain climbers, in particular, is attributable to the Koreans' love of nature plus the fact that 70 percent of the country is mountainous. In addition to taekwondo, geomdo (swordsmanship), judo or yudo, taegeukgwon and gigong command strong following.

The sport-for-all movement in Korea has rapidly grown as a result of social changes accompanied by economic growth. Proactive implementation of welfare policies by the government has helped reshape the sports area, especially after the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. The government's sports policies primarily aim at encouraging people of all generations to exercise on a regular basis. The Second Five-Year National Sports Promotion Plan is channeling funds for the construction of public sports facilities and other programs in pursuit of this goal.