Sohn Kee-chung's Laurel Wreath, Medal to Become Cultural Assets

The gold medal, award certificate and laurel wreath earned by marathoner Sohn Kee-chung at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin will be designated as prized cultural assets.

The Cultural Heritage Administration said on Thursday that it will designate as cultural assets athletic relics that have significant value in the country's modern sporting history.



The gold medal and laurel wreath won by marathoner Sohn Kee-chung at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin
Along with Sohn's Olympic medal and laurel wreath, two other items used during the London Olympics in 1948 -- the year the Republic of Korea was established -- are being included.

Also on the list are the winning trophy that Korea collected at the 1st Asian Cup soccer tournament in Hong Kong in 1956, and the travel permit and uniforms used by Korean representative Lee Won-soon when he attended the 40th International Olympic Committee General Assembly in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1947.

Sohn is the first Korean to win an Olympic gold medal after setting a new world record in the marathon during Japan's colonial rule of the country. The designation will undergo a 30-day notice period and review by the CHA's committee.