For the first time since Munich in 1972, there was no organized boycott of the Summer Olympics. Cuba and Ethiopia stayed away in support of North Korea (the IOC turned down the North Koreans' demand to co-host the Games, so they refused to participate), but that was about it.

More countries (160) sent more athletes (9,627) to South Korea than to any previous Olympics. There were also more security personnel (100,000) than ever before given Seoul's proximity (30 miles) to the North and the possibility of student demonstrations for reunification.

Ten days into the Games, Canadian Ben Johnson beat defending champion Carl Lewis in the 100-meter dash with a world record time of 9.79. The next day, however, Johnson was stripped of his gold medal and sent packing by the IOC when his post-race drug test indicated steriod use.

Lewis, who finished second in the 100, was named the winner. He also repeated in the long jump, but was second in the 200 and did not run the 400 relay. Teammate Florence Griffith Joyner claimed four medals - gold in the 100, 200 and 400-meter relay, and silver in the 1,600 relay. Her sister-in-law Jackie Joyner-Kersee won the long jump and heptathlon.

The most gold medals were won by swimmers - Kristin otto of East Germany (6) and American Matt Biondi (5). Otherwise, Steffi Graf added an Olympic gold medal to her Grand Slam sweep (Golden Slam) in tennis, Greg Louganis won both men's diving events for the second straight time, and the U.S. men's basketball team had to settle for third place after losing to the gold medal-winning Soviets, 82-76, in the semifinals.

Dedicated to "Peace, Harmony and Progress," the Games of the 24th Olympiad were brought to a successful conclusion Oct. 2, 1988, in Seoul after 16 days of competition and pageantry.

Colorful ceremonies featuring ancient and modern Korea highlighted the opening and closing ceremonies before enthusiastic throngs.

The Seoul Games were the largest in the history of the Olympic movement at that time, with 13,304 athletes and officials from 160 countries taking part, transcending barriers separating East and West, North and South. Although North Korea and six other countries declined to attend, the competition in Korea was known as the first boycott-free Olympics in 12 years as athletes from the East and West returned to full participation.

The race for Olympic medals was won by the Soviet Union with 55 gold, 31 silver and 46 bronze. East Germany was second with 37 gold, 35 silver and 30 bronze, while the United States placed third with 36 gold, 31 silver and 27 bronze. Ranking fourth in the final gold medal tally and sixth in the overall number of medals was host Korea with 12 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze. Although Korean athletes had the advantage of home grounds and hometown crowds, their medal harvest came as a surprise even to their most fervent supporters.

The success of the Seoul Games was credited to the all-out efforts made by the officials and people of Korea, working with the International Olympic Committee to achieve in this divided land the goals of peace, harmony and progress.

Following the selection in 1981 of Seoul as the site for the 24th Olympiad, the tireless efforts that had gone into the planning, preparation and actual carrying-out of the 1988 Summer Games resulted in a sports spectacular that brought 30,000 Olympic family members and 300,000 tourists to Seoul.

Construction of the massive Seoul Sports Complex along the Hangang River, which bisects the capital city, began in 1977 to meet an increasing demand for sports facilities. With the successful bid for the 1988 Games, it was to become the center for this heralded international event. The main stadium, with a seating capacity of 100,000, was opened officially in September 1984.

While there were incidents and emotions that marred some aspects of the games -- the ugly specter of drugs, charges of professionalism, favoritism and excessive nationalism -- by the time the Olympic flame was extinguished it generally was agreed that Korea had staged an outstanding event and that unity and vitality had been restored to the Olympic movement.

Significant contributions to this success were made by the 26,000 volunteer workers who joined in the efforts of Korean organizers and other officials under the Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee; the families that opened their homes to Olympic visitors; the residents who participated willingly in an essential traffic control system, and about 3,180,000 spectators who cheered the athletes from around the world.

Also making an important contribution was the Seoul Olympic Art Festival, which opened one month before the games. It included 30 performing arts presentations and a similar number of exhibitions, academic conferences and film shows. The festival stimulated interest in the Olympics both in and outside Korea, as well as providing a forum for international culture exchange. The participants included top class artists, performing groups and individuals from many countries.

Nearly 900 people from around the world took part in the Seoul Youth Camp held in connection with the Olympics to provide an opportunity for the young men and women to develop friendships and work together for international understanding and stability.

Shortly after the formal closing of the Seoul Olympics, the same sports facilities were used to hold the Eighth Paralympics. This competition, which ran from Oct. 15 to Oct. 24, also was the largest in the history of such events with 3,200 athletes from 61 countries taking part. East bloc countries sent entries to the Paralympics for the first time, joining in the quest for 732 gold medals in 16 sports. The ideals of the Paralympics were expressed in the slogans "Challenge and Overcoming," "Peace and Friendship" and "Participation and Equality."

The president of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, made his first visit to a Paralympics during the Seoul competition and heard an appeal for the participation of disabled athletes in the regular Olympic Games.

In the eyes of many -- both at home and abroad -- the success of the Seoul Olympics was seen as a giant milestone that moved Korea to stage center among major countries. Linked directly with the country's phenomenal economic strides, the sports spectacle provided a vivid view of the achievements of a country that only a few decades ago had been ravaged by war. Hodori, the Korean tiger cub that served as the official mascot of the games, became a symbol of a job done well.

1984 Los Angeles Olympic Stadium 1984 1988 Seoul Olympic Stadium 1988 1992 Barcelona Olympic Stadium 1992