Elite sport and nation-building in South Korea: South Korea as the dark horse in global elite sport

South Korea has performed well in international sporting competitions over the past quarter of a century, as revealed by Olympic Games medal counts. Although a growing body of literature has investigated the elite sport systems of Western countries and China, few sports scholars have examined South Korea. This article begins this analysis by examining how the South Korean government has used elite sport for nation-building and promoting national identity; how it has employed a strategy for hosting major events; and assesses these factors and the role of business as significant contributors for the success of Korean elite sport.