The DPRK players began to take part in the Olympics from the 20^th in 1972.

In the small bore rifle match of the 20^th Olympiad Ri Ho Jun renewed the previous world and Olympic record to win the gold medal to become the first DPRK gold medalist, by taking 599 points out of 600.

At the time the world media gave unstinted praise to him. Reminding of the fact that many others could not take the gold medal so far, they stressed that the Korean players won the gold medal though they participated in the Olympics for the first time and noted that many would have been shocked at the outstanding success of Ri Ho Jun player

He has conferred the title of People’s Athlete in 1973.