TAEGU, South Korea, 27 August 2003 — North Korea made renewed threats of a pullout, then lost a politically charged volleyball match against the United States on another incident-filled day at the World University Games yesterday.

Away from the politics, China stormed to the top of the gold medal standings, collecting seven more on day six of the troubled event in Taegu. China lead with 17 gold medals in total, three more than hosts South Korea with Russia on 13.

North Korea demanded an apology from the South Korean government for recent anti-North protests and accused right-wing activists of “ransacking” their well-guarded team hotel.

Several bags belonging to the imported North Korean cheerleaders were tampered with, according to team chief Jeon Kuk-man. “Foul elements infiltrated (our accommodation) and broke into the bedrooms. They put leaflets with indecent messages on the beds and in the bags of our female students,” he told reporters.

As a result, the North Korean cheerleaders were absent from a tense preliminary volleyball match against the US, which took place on the eve of crucial six-way talks in Beijing over Pyongyang’s nuclear program.

The US overpowered North Korea 25-23, 25-14, 25-15 but the vocal South Korean fans made up for the empty seats reserved for the imported cheerleaders, hundreds of them waving the unified flag of a borderless Korea.

It was not all gloom for North Korea, however, as they demolished Mexico 5-0 to reach the semifinals of the women’s soccer and Ji Gyong-sun won judo silver in the women’s 63kg class for their first medal of the Games.

In the swimming, world record holder Qi Hui won gold for China in the women’s 200 meters breaststroke, clocking a new Games record of two minutes, 26.25 seconds with compatriot Luo Xuejuan runner-up in 2:26.99.

China also won gold in the women’s 4x200 freestyle relay in a time of 8:05.86. There was double gold for Britain with James Gibson winning the men’s 100 breaststroke in a new games record of 1:00.71 and Rebecca Cooke triumphant in the women’s 400 freestyle in 4:11.23 to add to her gold in the 800 at the weekend.

Japan’s Takahiro Mori won gold in the men’s 200 individual medley in a Games best 2:00.59 while American James Westcott won the 50 meters backstroke title in 25.80. Russian Andrei Kaoralov claimed the men’s 100 freestyle crown in 49.36.

In diving, Wu Minxia beat world champion Guo Jingjing as China took gold and silver in the women’s three-meter springboard.

The second day of the athletics began amid the roar of air force fighter jets, a reminder of the heightened security at the Games since a tip-off that radicals could launch a chemical weapons attack on the venues. US-based Chris Lambert restored British sprinting pride after disappointment at the World Championships in Paris on Monday, winning gold in the men’s 100 meters in 10.44 at Taegu World Cup Stadium.

China continued its gold rush with Qin Wangping winning the women’s 100 meters in 11.53 seconds and Xu Jia taking the 100 hurdles title in 13.29.

Li Fengfeng won the women’s shot put with a throw of 18.55 meters and Liu Yinghui won a fourth track and field gold for China in the women’s hammer, producing a fifth-round effort of 69.05 meters.

Kylie Wheeler won gold for Australia in the women’s heptathlon with a total of 861 points, with Simone Oberer of Switzerland runner-up on 854 points.