North Korean Badminton Player Sees Ranking Surge,Raising Hopes for Future competition
HANOI,Vietnam – Kim Jin-hyang of North Korea dramatically improved her world ranking to 547th,a jump of 99 places,following participation in the International Series tournament in Vietnam on November 2nd. Despite losing in the round of 32 with a score of 0-2 to a Vietnamese player, her advancement from the preliminary round contributed to the meaningful ranking increase.
This marks a renewed push for North Korean badminton, after the nation sat out the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games due to COVID-19. Kim Jin-hyang also competed in a Vietnam International Series tournament last month, reaching the round of 16 before a loss. That competition utilized a 15-point game format, differing from the standard 21-point scoring.
Kim Jin-hyang is also ranked in women’s doubles (622nd with Yu Mi-seong) and mixed doubles (690th with Choi kyung-ryong, and 1069th with Kim Icheon).
The rise of Kim Jin-hyang has sparked discussion about potential North Korean participation in future events, including the 2026 Asian Games, and the possibility of a future matchup with current world number one Ahn Se-young of South Korea. The article draws a parallel to the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, where a Maldivian player competed despite a significant skill disparity against South Korea’s Kim Ga-eun.
