Kim Jong-su of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has tested positive for banned substance at the ongoing Beijing Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said here on Friday at a press conference.

Kim, who took bronze in men's 10-meter air pistol on Aug. 9 and silver in the men's 50-meter pistol final on Aug. 12, has tested positive for EPO and been excluded from the Games, said IOC press director Giselle Davies.

She said the IOC decided at an executive board meeting on Friday to disqualify Kim's medals. "Of course the IOC now asks the shooting sports federation to modify the results."

In the 10-meter pistol event, the third place now goes to Jason Turner from the United States. In the 50-meter event, silver goes to Tan Zongliang from China and bronze to Vladimir Isakov from Russia, said Davies.

Kim, born in 1977, took bronze in 50-meter pistol at Athens in 2002 and had expected gold in Beijing. He scored 660.2 points in the 50-meter event in Beijing, 0.2 point behind Jin Jong Oh from South Korea.

His personal best result scored 684.5 points in 10-meter air pistol at the World Cup in Guangzhou of southern China in 2006.

He was the second athlete to test positive at the Beijing Games, following Spanish cyclist Maria Isabel Moreno.

(Xinhua News Agency August 15, 2008)