The Korean team has finished in first place in the integrated rankings at the recently finished 19th International Astronomy Olympiad.

Team Korea won two gold, three silver and two bronze medals at the Olympiad, held in Bishkek and Cholpon-Ata in Kyrgyzstan from October 12 to 21.



Seventy-nine students from 17 nations took part in this year's competition. Ahn Hyung-seo from Gyeonggi Science High School took the Grand Prix. In the junior group, Ahn won a gold medal, while Kang Seung-kwan from Hansu Middle School and Shin Min-gwan from Nogok Middle School each won a bronze medal.

In the senior group, Song Seung-uk from Gwangju Science High School won a gold medal while Kim Kyoung-ho from Incheon Science High School, An Seung-hyeon from Gyeonggibuk Science High school and Lee Jun-ho from Seoul Science High School each won a silver medal.

The International Astronomy Olympiad is designed to find adolescents who have a talent for astronomy, encourage them to develop their skills, promote international exchanges between students and advocate for science education.

Unlike other Olympiads, it has two tracks: a junior group for those who are 15-years-old or under, and a senior group for those who are 18 or under.

More information about the Olympiad can be found at its homepage (www.issp.ac.ru/iao/2014).

By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
jun2@korea.kr