S. Korea ranks 2nd at int'l youth math competition

South Korea ranked second at this year's youth international mathematics competition in Norway earlier this month, with China clinching the top spot, the event's organizers said Friday.

The six-member South Korean delegation earned a combined 208 points with three gold medals and as many silvers at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2022 that took place in Oslo from July 6-15, according the IMO's website.

South Korea finished in second place out of 104 countries. Last year, Seoul ranked third with five golds and one silver.

China claimed the first spot at this year's event with a full 252 points after winning gold medals in all six problems. It marks the second time since 1994 that a participating nation has received full marks. The United States achieved the feat 28 years ago.

The IMO is an annual worldwide competition for exceptionally talented high school students. The first IMO was held in 1959 in Romania, and South Korea won the championship twice in 2012 and 2017.

In the run-up to the competition, the IMO's board suspended Russia's membership due to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine but allowed Russian students to take part in their private capacity. (Yonhap)