S. Korea ranks second in Olympiad for physics

SEOUL, July 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korean teenagers ranked second in a
recently-held international physics competition, winning four gold medals and one
silver, Seoul officials said Monday.
The nation also ranked fourth in the math competition with three golds and three
silvers, while coming in sixth in biology with one gold and three silvers,
according to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
The achievement was made during the International Science Olympiad which started
this week in Mexico, Germany and Japan, the ministry said.
Fifteen South Korean high-school students took part in the Olympiad, all winning
medals in competition against scientific prodigies under 20 from around the
world.
The three competitions are part of races in a total of eight areas, including
chemistry, information and astronomy. The other events will be held later this
year, the ministry said.
Chinese students dominated by ranking first in all of the three areas. U.S.
teenagers shared the top place in biology with China, the ministry said.
South Korea first participated in the Olympiad by sending its students for the
math competition held in Australia back in 1988. The nation has taken up the
first spot 14 times ever since, according to the ministry.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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