The men's triple jump event at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea had an entry list of 45 competitors, with 43 athletes from 31 nations starting in two qualifying groups (43 jumpers) before the final (12) took place on Saturday September 24, 1988.

[1] The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress.

The event was won by Khristo Markov of Bulgaria, the nation's first medal and victory in the men's triple jump.

[2] Algeria, Angola, Belize, Bermuda, Cyprus, Ecuador, Kuwait, Libya, Mozambique, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines each made their first appearance in the event; the Republic of China made its first appearance as Chinese Taipei.

Aleksandr Kovalenko broke the Olympic record with his first jump in the final round, at 17.42 metres.