South Korea ranked second at an international youth mathematics competition held in Colombia earlier this month, Seoul’s Science Ministry said Monday.

South Korea claimed five medals, including four gold medals, at the International Mathematical Olympiad held in Santa Marta, Colombia from July 18 to 28, and finished in second place out of 97 countries, according to the ministry.

Last year, South Korea clinched the top spot. This year also marks a sharp improvement from the 13th place in 2011, according to the ministry.

China claimed the first spot with five gold medals. The U.S. came in third with four gold medals, followed by Russia with four gold medals and North Korea with two gold medals.

The IMO is an annual worldwide competition for exceptionally talented high school students. The first IMO was held in 1959 in Romania. (Yonhap News)