Journalist

Lee Hugh
  • South Korea’s Lim Jong-eon wins bronze in men’s 1,000 at Milan Olympics
    South Korea’s Lim Jong-eon wins bronze in men’s 1,000 at Milan Olympics South Korea’s Lim Jong-eon, a 19-year-old considered a rising star on the men’s short track team, won his first Olympic medal with a late surge to take bronze in the men’s 1,000 meters. Lim finished in 1 minute, 24.611 seconds in the final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy. He was the only South Korean skater to reach the final, racing against Jens van ’t Wout of the Netherlands, Sun Long of China and William Dandjinou of Canada. Lim stayed in the top three early but was pushed to last in the five-man field as the pace increased. He waited for an opening, and the decisive move came on the final lap. Using his trademark outside line, Lim swung wide and accelerated. He passed Roberts Kruzebergs of Latvia in the first corner, then edged past Dandjinou in the final turn to finish third. Van ’t Wout won gold and Sun took silver. Lim delivered South Korea’s first short track medal of these Games and became the team’s fourth medalist overall, following snowboarders Choi Ga-on, Kim Sang-gyeom and Yoo Seung-eun. In the same event, Shin Dong-min placed fifth in his semifinal heat and finished third in the B final. Hwang Dae-heon, a medal contender, was disqualified after receiving a penalty in his quarterfinal heat.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 06:33:00
  • South Korea women’s curling team beats host Italy 7-2 for first win at Milan-Cortina 2026
    South Korea women’s curling team beats host Italy 7-2 for first win at Milan-Cortina 2026 South Korea’s women’s curling team, known as Team 5G (Gyeonggi Provincial Government), earned its first win of the tournament by routing host Italy. Skip Kim Eun Ji, third Kim Min Ji, second Kim Su Ji, lead Seol Ye Eun and alternate Seol Ye Ji beat Italy 7-2 in the second round-robin game of the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics on Thursday (Korea time) at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. South Korea rebounded after a shaky start, having lost 8-4 to the United States in its opener a day earlier. The win left the team 1-1. The early ends were cautious. South Korea, with last stone in the first end, came away scoreless, then broke through with one point in the second. In the third, South Korea stole a point while throwing first to go up 2-0. The turning point came in the sixth. Leading 3-1, South Korea posted a four-point end to stretch the margin to 7-1. Italy got one back in the seventh, but conceded with the gap at five points.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 06:00:00
  • Choi Min Jung Misses Women’s 500m Final After Crash at Milan-Cortina Olympics
    Choi Min Jung Misses Women’s 500m Final After Crash at Milan-Cortina Olympics South Korea’s women’s short track team came up empty in the 500 meters at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, with star Choi Min Jung failing to reach the final after a collision in the semifinals. Choi (Seongnam City Hall) finished fifth out of five in semifinal heat 2 at the Milan Ice Skating Arena, clocking 43.060 on Friday (Korea time). After advancing comfortably by winning her quarterfinal, Choi got off to a strong start in the semifinal and led until three laps remained, appearing on track for a final berth. But after Canada’s Kim Boutin closed in, Choi became tangled with Canadians Courtney Sarault and Florence Brunelle on the final lap, lost her balance and dropped to last. Officials reviewed the contact on video but assessed no penalty to the Canadian skaters, leaving Choi to move to the B final (classification race). She later placed second in the classification race. Kim Gil Li (Seongnam City Hall) and Lee So Yeon (Sports Toto) were eliminated earlier in the quarterfinals. In the final, Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands won in 41.609.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 05:51:00
  • South Korea’s Choi Ga On Wins Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Gold at Milan Olympics
    South Korea’s Choi Ga On Wins Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Gold at Milan Olympics Choi Ga On of South Korea won the country’s first Winter Olympic gold medal in a snow sport.  Choi, a student at Sehwa High School, scored 90.25 to take first in the women’s snowboard halfpipe final at Livigno Snow Park in Italy. She beat American Chloe Kim, who scored 88.00.  The gold was also South Korea’s first for the national team at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, and the first Olympic gold for South Korean skiing.  Choi also became the youngest Olympic champion in the event. Born in November 2008, she won at 17 years, 3 months, breaking the mark of 17 years, 10 months set by Kim at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.  Choi struggled in her first two runs. In the first, she crashed hard on landing and fell upside down. She stayed down for a time and medical staff came onto the course. After a delay, she got up and rode down on her own. Her first-run score was 10.  Before her second run, Choi was initially listed as DNS (Did Not Start) but reversed the decision and dropped in. She appeared affected by the earlier impact, with an unsteady landing on her first aerial move, then stopped the attempt and rode out. Her second run was ruled DNI (Does Not Improve).  Kim, the favorite, posted 88.00 on her first run, raising the possibility of an unprecedented third straight Olympic title in a snowboard event.  Choi responded with a clean third run, starting without hesitation and landing five aerial moves to become the first rider in the final to score 90 or higher.  After finishing the run, Choi was seen in tears as she rode down.  Kim, who did not complete her second run, tried to regain the lead on her third but fell mid-run and settled for silver. Mitsuki Ono of Japan took bronze with 85.00.  South Korea’s previous Olympic medals in skiing included Lee Sang Ho’s silver in men’s snowboard alpine at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, Kim Sang Gyeom’s silver in men’s snowboard alpine at these Games, and Yoo Seung Eun’s bronze in women’s snowboard big air. Choi, 18, is the first South Korean to win gold in a snow sport.      2026-02-13 05:39:00
  • Hanwha Ocean Bonus Move Spurs Subcontractor Unions to Press Other Shipbuilders
    Hanwha Ocean Bonus Move Spurs Subcontractor Unions to Press Other Shipbuilders Hanwha Ocean’s decision to pay subcontractor workers bonuses at the same rate as its direct employees — in the 400% range — is raising pressure across South Korea’s shipbuilding industry. The move is being praised as a step toward narrowing the gap between prime contractors and subcontractors. But it is also fueling concerns that it could disrupt established bargaining practices. Because shipbuilding is highly cyclical, pledges to match bonus rates could become a financial burden during downturns. Industry officials said Feb. 12 that demands are spreading to “match bonus payout rates” between prime contractors and subcontractors. Four subcontractor branches of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union — Geoje-Tongyeong-Goseong Shipbuilding Subcontractors Branch, Jeonnam Shipbuilding Subcontractors Branch, Hyundai Heavy Industries In-House Subcontractors Branch and Weliv Branch — held a news conference at the National Assembly last month, arguing that subcontractor bonuses are far smaller than the average for regular employees and calling for broader adoption of equal bonus rates. The union said Hanwha Ocean’s announcement that it would pay the same bonus rate to in-house partner-company employees “reflects a long-standing demand at worksites and is an entirely natural decision.” It said HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Samsung Heavy Industries, which it described as benefiting from a shipbuilding boom, should also improve performance compensation for subcontractor workers. The union said that while regular employees at prime contractors receive year-end bonuses worth tens of millions of won, subcontractor workers typically receive only a few million won. The shipbuilding industry’s top three companies have posted sharply improving results. Last year, the combined operating profit of South Korea’s “big three” shipbuilders was close to 6 trillion won. HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, the intermediate holding company for HD Hyundai Group’s shipbuilding business, reported operating profit of 3.9045 trillion won, up 172.3% from a year earlier. Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries posted operating profit of 1.1091 trillion won and 862.2 billion won, respectively. Combined revenue for the three companies also topped 50 trillion won. Companies say stronger earnings do not automatically justify larger bonuses. They point to the industry’s volatility, where profitability can swing sharply with the order cycle. During the prolonged downturn that began in the mid-2010s and lasted nearly a decade, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering was sold to Hanwha Group, and other shipbuilders also faced existential pressure. Rivals have reacted with unease to Hanwha Ocean’s decision. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has postponed subcontractor bonus payments that had been planned for December to February. It plans to pay its direct employees bonuses of about 800% this month. HD Hyundai’s total bonus payout is far larger than Hanwha Ocean’s, meaning labor costs could rise significantly if a standard takes hold requiring equal bonus rates for prime contractors and subcontractors. Samsung Heavy Industries has also faced renewed controversy over bonuses. It has paid the same bonus rate to prime contractors and subcontractors, but the amount varies by years of service, and the overall bonus level is the lowest among the big three shipbuilders, the union has said. Lee Byeong Hun, a sociology professor at Chung-Ang University, said Hanwha Ocean’s case has had a positive impact on the labor market as management and regular employees moved to improve pay, treatment and bonuses for partner-company workers. He added that, especially after the Yellow Envelope Act takes effect, demands led by subcontractor unions are likely to intensify.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 05:03:25
  • Hanwha Ocean to Pay 400% Bonus to Both Direct and Subcontracted Workers, Stirring Cost Concerns
    Hanwha Ocean to Pay 400% Bonus to Both Direct and Subcontracted Workers, Stirring Cost Concerns Hanwha Ocean, which posted an earnings surprise last year, will pay a performance bonus of about 400% of monthly base pay to both its direct employees and subcontracted workers. The move is effectively a first in South Korea’s shipbuilding industry to narrow the compensation gap between prime contractors and subcontractors. Supporters say it aligns with the Lee Jae Myung administration’s “equal pay for work of equal value” agenda, though critics warn it could add to cost pressures across manufacturing. According to reporting by Aju Business Daily on Wednesday, Hanwha Ocean decided to pay a performance bonus equal to 400% of monthly base pay for last year. It is the highest level since the company’s launch. The bonuses are to be paid in full just before the Lunar New Year holiday. The decision closely tracks the government’s labor policy direction. President Lee has repeatedly stressed the need to reduce wage gaps in industrial workplaces based on the principle of “equal pay for work of equal value.” After Hanwha Ocean set the policy to pay the same bonus to prime and subcontracted workers, Lee disclosed the plan during a Ministry of Employment and Labor briefing, saying, “It seems important to create a desirable corporate culture.” Prime Minister Kim Min Seok later visited Hanwha Ocean’s Seoul office last month and signed a labor-management cooperation agreement. In 2024, Hanwha Ocean’s regular employees received performance bonuses equal to 150% of base pay, while workers at partner firms received 75%, a wide gap. Last year, the company posted more than 1 trillion won in operating profit, helping lay the groundwork for equal bonus payments. In shipbuilding, subcontracted workers account for more than 60% of the total production workforce. Partner firms handle 70% to 80% of ship construction processes, but the compensation gap between prime contractors and subcontractors has continued to widen, critics say. Many in the industry view Hanwha Ocean’s decision as a potential step toward easing the two-tier labor structure common in shipbuilding and other manufacturing sites. With a shortage of skilled workers persisting despite a boom in orders, broader profit-sharing could help reduce worker outflows and attract new hires, analysts say. Still, concerns are growing that the move will increase costs for manufacturers. If equal compensation between prime contractors and subcontractors becomes a precedent, similar demands could spread to other industries. Another concern is the full implementation next month of the so-called Yellow Envelope Act, revisions to Articles 2 and 3 of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act. The law requires prime contractors to bargain directly with subcontractor unions when the prime contractor exercises substantial control over subcontracted workers’ working conditions. “Performance bonuses inevitably vary depending on each company’s results and financial conditions,” an industry official said. “If the Hanwha Ocean case is accepted like a new standard, it could lead to higher labor costs across manufacturing.” 2026-02-13 05:03:00
  • Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida wins women’s 5,000 gold for second 2026 Milan-Cortina title
    Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida wins women’s 5,000 gold for second 2026 Milan-Cortina title Francesca Lollobrigida, 35, delivered another gold for host Italy, edging the women’s 5,000 meters by 0.1 seconds to become a two-time champion at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Lollobrigida won Friday at the Milan Ice Skating Arena, finishing in 6:46.17. Skating in the final pairing against veteran Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic, Lollobrigida surged late despite fading legs, closing her last lap in 31.86 seconds. She caught and passed Merel Conijn of the Netherlands, who finished in 6:46.27, to take the gold in a dramatic finish. It was the first time an Italian has won Olympic gold in the women’s 5,000. With Lollobrigida, who has returned to competition after giving birth, Italy now have six gold medals, closing on overall leader Norway with seven. Lollobrigida is also entered in the remaining women’s mass start, where she will try for a third gold of the Games.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 03:21:00
  • South Korea’s Cha Jun-hwan to stick with planned free skate at Milan Olympics
    South Korea’s Cha Jun-hwan to stick with planned free skate at Milan Olympics South Korea’s top men’s figure skater, Cha Jun-hwan (Seoul City Hall), said he will focus on polishing his performance rather than raising difficulty ahead of the free skate. After official practice on Thursday (Korea time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy, Cha told reporters the gap to the third-place skater is large and “it seems like there needs to be a way to increase difficulty to win a medal,” but he plans to “perform the elements I’ve been doing so far” and concentrate on improving execution. Cha placed sixth in the short program on Tuesday with 92.72 points (50.08 technical, 42.64 program components). He trails third-place Adam Siao Him Fa of France by 9.83 points. Early in the 2025-26 season, Cha attempted three quadruple jumps in the free skate, including a combination, but later reduced his layout to two solo quads. That left open the option of adding higher-difficulty elements to push into medal position, but he said he would make the same choice he made at the Harbin Asian Winter Games. At Harbin, Cha scored 93.09 in the short program, 9.72 points behind Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama (103.81). He did not raise difficulty to chase the deficit and instead focused on delivering his planned program. Cha landed two quadruple jumps and won after Kagiyama made repeated mistakes. Cha said he is aiming for a medal with the same approach in Milan. Cha also said he was disappointed by his short-program score. Although he delivered a near-clean skate, he received an under-rotation call on his triple Axel and earned only Level 3 on the step sequence. “When I checked the score, it was lower than I expected, so I was disappointed,” he said. “If the technical score was low, I could accept it, but I was especially disappointed that the program component score came out low.” He said he thought a lot after the short program and decided to enjoy the process rather than focus on the result. “I didn’t get the score I wanted, but in the moment I think I showed what I wanted to show. The fact that I did my best doesn’t change, so I’m satisfied,” he said. On ice conditions that some athletes have criticized at these Olympics, Cha said the ice feels “a bit soft” even for figure skaters and that the moisture is a concern. “If there’s a lot of moisture, it can freeze as it is and create bumps on the surface,” he said, adding he would need to keep that in mind in competition. Cha is scheduled to skate in the men’s free skate at 3 a.m. Friday (Korea time). * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 02:12:00
  • Lee Ui Jin, Han Da Som finish 73rd and 80th in women’s 10km freestyle at Milan 2026
    Lee Ui Jin, Han Da Som finish 73rd and 80th in women’s 10km freestyle at Milan 2026 South Korea’s Lee Ui Jin (Busan Sports Council) and Han Da Som (Gyeonggi Provincial Government) finished outside the top 70 in the women’s 10-kilometer freestyle. Racing on Feb. 12 (Korea time) at the Tesero Cross-Country Stadium in Italy, Lee placed 73rd and Han 80th in the women’s 10-kilometer interval-start freestyle. In the interval-start format, skiers start at set time gaps and are ranked by fastest time. Lee was 68th at the 1.8-kilometer mark but slipped back and finished in 27:35.9. Han, who also opened in the 70s, posted 28:15.8. Both athletes failed to finish the 10km+10km skiathlon on Feb. 7, their first race of the event. In the women’s sprint classic qualifying on Feb. 10, Lee was 70th (4:15.93) and Han 74th (4:17.62), and both were eliminated. They were later disqualified after a banned substance was detected. Reuters reported on Feb. 11 (local time) that the International Ski and Snowboard Federation said fluorinated wax was found on their skis from the sprint classic qualifying, resulting in disqualification. Sweden’s Frida Karlsson won gold in the 10-kilometer freestyle in 22:49.2. Sweden’s Ebba Andersson took silver in 23:35.8, and Jessica Diggins of the United States won bronze in 23:38.9.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 00:03:00
  • Federica Brignone wins Olympic super-G gold at 35, oldest women’s alpine champion
    Federica Brignone wins Olympic super-G gold at 35, oldest women’s alpine champion Italian veteran Federica Brignone capped a comeback from a serious injury by becoming the oldest women’s Olympic alpine gold medalist. Brignone won the women’s super-G at the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics on Wednesday at the Tofane Alpine Ski Center in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, finishing in 1 minute, 23.41 seconds. She beat Romane Miradoli of France (1:23.82) and Cornelia Huetter of Austria (1:23.93). It was Brignone’s first Olympic gold in her fourth Games. She previously won bronze in giant slalom at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics and silver in giant slalom at the 2022 Beijing Games. Her Olympic total rose to one gold, one silver and two bronze medals, tying Deborah Compagnoni for the most Olympic medals by an Italian woman in skiing. At 35, Brignone also set the record as the oldest Olympic gold medalist in women’s alpine skiing. The win followed a major crash last April during the Italian championships giant slalom, when she suffered multiple fractures in her left leg and a torn anterior cruciate ligament. After two surgeries and rehabilitation, she returned to on-snow training last month and reached the top of the Olympic podium in less than a month. Conditions were difficult on race day, with thick fog during the run. Seventeen of the 43 starters did not finish. U.S. downhill gold medalist Bree Johnson fell after hitting a gate, derailing her bid for a second title. Brignone posted steady splits throughout and reached 103.85 kph (64.53 mph) in the final section to hold the lead. Brignone is also known as part of a mother-daughter Olympic pair. Her mother, Maria Rosa Quario, competed for Italy at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics and finished fourth in women’s slalom.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 23:39:00