North Korea at the 1980 Summer Olympics

• Se-Hong Jang — Wrestling, men's freestyle light flyweight
• Ho-Pyong Li — Wrestling, men's freestyle bantamweight
• Bong-Chol Ho — Weightlifting, men's flyweight

• Ri Byong-uk — Boxing, men's light flyweight
• Gyong-Si Han — Weightlifting, men's flyweight

1980 was the second time that North Korea competed in archery in the Olympics. Two women and one man competed.

Women's Individual Competition:

• Gwang Sun-O — 2401 points (→ 5th place)
• Sok Chang-Suk — 2269 points (→ 17th place)

Men's Individual Competition:

• Kim Gye-Yong — 2331 points (→ 22nd place)

Marathon: Chun Son-Koh in front of Saint Basil's Cathedral

Men's Marathon

• Chun Son-Koh

• Final — 2:20:08 (→ 27th place)

• Jong Hyong-Li

• Final — 2:21:10 (→ 29th place)

• Chang Sop-Choe

• Final — 2:22:42 (→ 33rd place)

Men's Light Flyweight (48 kg)

• Li Byong-Uk → Bronze Medal
  1. First Round — Defeated Henryk Pielesiak (Poland) on points (3-2)
  2. Second Round — Defeated Gilberto Sosa (Mexico) on points (3-2)
  3. Quarter Finals — Defeated Dumitru Şchiopu (Romania) on points (4-1)
  4. Semi Finals — Lost to Shamil Sabirov (Soviet Union) on points (0-5)

Men's Flyweight (51 kg)

• Yo Ryon-Sik
  1. First Round — Defeated Amala Dass (India) on points (5-0)
  2. Second Round — Defeated Ramon Armando Guevara (Venezuela) on points (4-1)
  3. Quarter Finals — Lost to Hugh Russell (Ireland) on points (2-3)

Men's Featherweight (57 kg)

• Gu Yong-ju
  1. First Round — Bye
  2. Second Round — Lost to Krzysztof Kosedowski (Poland) on points (0-5)

Men's Lightweight (60 kg)

• Jong Jo-Ung
  1. First Round — Defeated Rabani Ghulam (Afghanistan) after referee stopped contest in second round
  2. Second Round — Lost to Viktor Demyanenko (Soviet Union) on points (0-5)

Men's Light-Welterweight (63,5 kg)

• Ryu Bun-Hwa
  1. First Round — Defeated Bishnu Malakar (Nepal) after referee stopped contest in first round
  2. Second Round — Lost to José Aguilar (Cuba) on points (1-4)

Men's freestyle 48 kg

• Jang Se-hong[1]
  1. First Round — Defeated Gombyn Khishigbaatar (MGL), 7:43 (won by fall)
  2. Second Round — Defeated Mohammed Jabbar (IRQ), 2:41 (won by fall)
  3. Third Round — Defeated Mohammad Aktar (AFG), 8:30 (won by fall)
  4. Fourth Round — Lost to Claudio Pollio (ITA), 7:12 (won by passivity)
  5. Fifth Round — Defeated Jan Falandys (POL), 8 - 13
  6. Final
     1. Lost to Claudio Pollio (ITA), 7:12 (won by passivity)
     2. Defeated Sergey Kornilayev (URS), 7:23 (won by fall) → Silver Medal

Men's freestyle 52 kg

• Jang Dok-ryong[1]
  1. First Round — Lost to Ashok Kumar (IND), 7 - 12
  2. Second Round — Defeated Mark Dunbar (GBR), 2 - 37
  3. Third Round — Defeated Mohammad Aynutdin (AFG), 6:28 (won by fall)
  4. Fourth Round — Lost to Nermedin Selimov (BUL), 16 - 6 → 5th place

Men's freestyle 57 kg

• Li Ho-pyong[1]
  1. First Round — Defeated Cris Brown (AUS), 7:41 (won by fall)
  2. Second Round — Defeated Amrik Singh Gill (GBR), 5:03 (won by passivity)
  3. Third Round — Defeated Wiesław Kończak (POL), 9 - 5
  4. Fourth Round — Defeated Aurel Neagu (ROU), 3 - 10
  5. Fifth Round — Lost to Sergei Beloglazov (URS), 1:12 (won by fall)
  6. Final
     1. Lost to Sergei Beloglazov (URS), 1:12 (won by fall)
     2. Tied with Dugarsürengiin Oyuunbold (MGL), 7 - 7 → Silver Medal