South Korea’s Rising Winter Sports Stars to Watch at the Milan-Cortina Olympics The 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics are expected to be a key test of South Korea’s next generation in winter sports. The Games will show whether South Korea can broaden its medal hopes beyond ice events to snow sports, while a younger core takes on leading roles. ◆Short track: Lim Jong-eon, Kim Gil-li in focus Short track remains South Korea’s strongest Olympic sport, and Lim Jong-eon, 19, has emerged as a headline prospect. The International Olympic Committee said on its website on Feb. 2 (local time) that Lim was one of its “10 rising athletes who will shine at the 2026 Winter Olympics,” the only South Korean on the list. The IOC called him “the next ace of the South Korean team,” noting he won the national trials by beating 2022 Beijing Olympic gold medalist Hwang Dae-heon. Lim earned the national team spot last April with 102 points, finishing ahead of Hwang and Park Ji-won. In his World Cup debut season on the International Skating Union circuit in 2025-26, he won gold in the 1,500 meters and silver in the 1,000 in October in Montreal. He added a 1,000 win in November in Dordrecht, Netherlands, and finished fourth overall in the 1,000 standings in his first senior season. On the women’s side, Kim Gil-li, 22, is set for her first Olympics and will skate five events: the mixed 2,000-meter relay, women’s 3,000 relay, and the 500, 1,000 and 1,500. Her main event is the 1,500. On Feb. 4, Canadian sports analytics firm Shoreview Sports Analytics projected that “Kim Gil-li will win” the 1,500. Kim moved into the senior ranks in the 2022-23 season and quickly rose. In 2023-24, her second senior season, she won the overall ISU World Cup title to become world No. 1, the first South Korean women’s short-track skater to claim the Crystal Globe. At the Harbin Asian Winter Games last February, she won the women’s 1,500 and the mixed relay for two gold medals. She took silver in the 1,000 and 500 behind South Korea’s top skater, Choi Min-jeong, 28. ◆A new wave after Lee Sang-hwa and Kim Yu-na In women’s speed skating, Lee Na-hyeon, 21, is aiming to fill the sprint void left after Lee Sang-hwa’s retirement. In the 2023-24 season, Lee Na-hyeon set a junior world record of 37.34 seconds in the women’s 500 at the fifth ISU World Cup stop. In the 2025-26 World Cup season, she ranked fourth in the women’s 500 across stops 1-4. She also raised her profile at the Harbin Asian Winter Games, winning the women’s 100 by beating South Korea’s sprint star Kim Min-seon, 27. Lee Na-hyeon added gold in the team sprint and silver in the women’s 500. Figure skater Shin Ji-a, 18, will also make her Olympic debut. South Korea has not produced an Olympic figure-skating medalist since Kim Yu-na won gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games and silver at the 2014 Sochi Games. Shin dominated as a junior, winning silver at the junior world championships four straight years from 2022 through 2025. She also took silver at the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics. After becoming age-eligible for seniors, she won both the first and second national team trials to secure an Olympic berth. ◆Choi Ga-on, Lee Chae-woon aim at first snow gold Snow events have long been a weak spot for South Korea at the Winter Olympics. The country’s only medal in a snow sport is Lee Sang-ho’s silver in snowboard parallel giant slalom at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. This time, South Korea’s snowboard halfpipe team has drawn talk of possible medals for both men and women. Choi Ga-on, 18, is viewed as a top gold contender in the women’s halfpipe. Forbes reported on Feb. 3 that Choi could be “the strongest challenger” to Chloe Kim, who is seeking a third straight Olympic title. Forbes added that if Choi wins gold, she would also break the record for the youngest Olympic snowboard gold medalist. Choi won the pipe event at the X Games in January 2023 at age 14 years, 3 months, setting a record as the youngest champion. In the 2025-26 season, she won three times on the International Ski and Snowboard Federation World Cup circuit and is ranked No. 1 in women’s halfpipe. On the men’s side, Lee Chae-woon, 20, is the leading halfpipe hope. He broke through in 2019 by winning big air at the World Rookie Tour at age 13, then became the inaugural champion of the FIS Snowboard Halfpipe Asian Cup in 2020. At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, he competed as the youngest athlete on South Korea’s team and finished 14th. His rise continued in 2023 at the Bakuriani world championships, where he won gold at age 16 years, 10 months, becoming the youngest champion and South Korea’s first snowboard world champion. He later won two gold medals at the Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics in halfpipe and slopestyle, and took gold in slopestyle at the Harbin Asian Winter Games. Lee’s momentum was interrupted by a torn knee meniscus in August 2024, followed by knee surgery last March. He struggled in World Cup events this season, but showed signs of a rebound on Jan. 18 at the Laax World Cup in Switzerland, finishing eighth for his best result of the season. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-04 16:15:00

Milan-Cortina 2026 to stage Winter Olympics across four clusters in first split-host Games Italy is set to host the Winter Olympics again for the first time in 20 years, with the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Games notable for using two host-city names in the official title and spreading events across multiple sites. It will be Italy’s third Winter Olympics, after Cortina d’Ampezzo in 1956 and Turin in 2006. With the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics, Italy will have hosted the Olympics four times overall. The Games will feature eight sports and 16 disciplines, with 116 gold medals at stake — seven more than Beijing 2022 (109). Competition will be staged across four clusters in northern Italy: the major city of Milan; the Alpine resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo; and the Valtellina-Bormio and Val di Fiemme areas. Organizers say it is the widest geographic footprint of any Olympics. Olympic cauldrons will be installed in both Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) apart, roughly a five-hour drive. Organizers say the plan aligns with the International Olympic Committee’s push for sustainability by limiting new construction. Of the 25 venues, 19 are existing facilities and four are temporary. Only two venues were newly built for the Olympics. Sustainability efforts also extend to the medals and torches: Medals were cast using metals recovered from waste and made with renewable energy, and the torch uses recycled aluminum and other materials as its main components. The opening and closing ceremonies will be held in different cities. The opening ceremony is set for Milan’s Giuseppe Meazza stadium, home to AC Milan and Inter Milan, which will be used as an outdoor performance venue with capacity for 80,000 during the Olympics. The closing ceremony will be held at the Verona Arena, an ancient amphitheater in Verona, the city associated with Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” The official slogan is “IT’s Your Vibe,” a message aimed at sharing solidarity, energy and passion among everyone involved in the Olympics. The emblem, titled “Futura” — Italian for “future” — was chosen through a public vote and features a simple design resembling the number “26” traced by a finger on snow. The official mascots, Tina and Milo, are characters based on martens that live in Italy’s mountain regions. Their names come from Cortina and Milan. Tina, in brighter colors, represents the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, while her younger brother Milo, with darker fur, represents the Winter Paralympics.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-04 00:03:58

South Korea Targets Top-10 Finish at Milan-Cortina Olympics, Eyes Key Medal Day The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics are about to begin, and South Korea are aiming to return to the overall top 10. The delegation expects a pivotal “golden day” late in the Games on Feb. 21 (Korea time). The Olympics open with a Feb. 6 ceremony and run for 17 days. South Korea are sending 71 athletes across six sports, with a goal of three gold medals and a top-10 finish. Lee Soo Kyung, president of the Korea Skating Union and head of the delegation, said at Incheon International Airport on Jan. 30, “I hope we can win three gold medals, and I think a surprise star will emerge.” South Korea last finished in the top 10 in the Winter Olympics medal table at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, placing seventh with five gold, eight silver and four bronze medals. Their most recent top-10 finish at an Olympics held abroad was fifth at the 2010 Vancouver Games (six gold, six silver, two bronze). South Korea also placed in the top 10 at Lillehammer in 1994 (sixth), Nagano in 1998 (ninth) and Turin in 2006 (seventh). At the 2022 Beijing Games, they finished 14th (two gold, five silver, two bronze). South Korea’s medal chase begins Feb. 8, the day after the opening ceremony. Lee Sang Ho, a silver medalist at Pyeongchang, will try to deliver the first medal in men’s parallel giant slalom snowboarding, where he is viewed as a dark horse. The first gold could come Feb. 10, when the short track team race in the mixed 2,000-meter relay. On Feb. 13, Choi Ga On will go for gold in the women’s halfpipe snowboarding final after winning three International Ski and Snowboard Federation World Cup events ahead of the Olympics. The short track men’s 1,000 final is also scheduled that day, with Lim Jong Eon, Hwang Dae Heon and Shin Dong Min entered. The men’s figure skating free skate, featuring Cha Jun Hwan, is set for Feb. 14. Cha, who finished fifth in Beijing, is seeking South Korea’s first Olympic medal by a male figure skater. On Feb. 15, Lim, Hwang and Shin will skate the short track men’s 1,500 final, a key event for South Korea as they aim for a third straight Olympic gold in the distance after Pyeongchang and Beijing. Speed skaters Kim Min Sun and Lee Na Hyun will compete in the women’s 500 on Feb. 16. That day, short track skaters Choi Min Jeong, Kim Gil Li and Noh Do Hee will race the women’s 1,000. The women’s short track team are also scheduled for the 3,000 relay on Feb. 19. The women’s figure skating free skate is on Feb. 20, with Shin Ji A hoping to contend for a medal. Feb. 21 is expected to be South Korea’s “golden day.” The short track women’s 1,500 final, their top gold-medal target, is scheduled then with Choi Min Jeong, Kim Gil Li and Noh entered. Choi is trying to win a third straight Olympic title in the event after Pyeongchang and Beijing. The men’s team will also race the 5,000 relay that day. In speed skating, Jung Jae Won is set to compete in the men’s mass start, with expectations he can improve on his silver medal from Beijing.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-04 00:03:27

Mizuno Korea Launches JPX ONE Driver With First-Ever Nanoalloy Face Mizuno Korea said Monday it has released the 2026 JPX ONE driver, the first driver to use a “nanoalloy face.” The JPX ONE driver is a new lineup aimed at delivering faster ball speed, high forgiveness and Mizuno’s distinctive impact feel. The “ONE” name replaces the previous JPX 923 and 925 naming, and is intended to signal a new start and an aim for No. 1, the company said. At the center of the club is the NANOALLOY™ FACE, which Mizuno Korea said is the first time the technology has been applied to a golf club head. Nanoalloy is a proprietary material technology developed by Japan’s Toray Industries Inc. that becomes momentarily softer when struck, the company said. Mizuno said it applied a 0.4 mm nanoalloy layer on top of a forged titanium face (6-4Ti). The company said the face deforms first at impact, limiting excessive deformation of the golf ball and improving energy transfer efficiency to achieve its highest ball speed to date. In its own robot testing, Mizuno said the nanoalloy face produced the fastest ball speed compared with nylon, urethane and titanium materials. Mizuno said the nanoalloy face also deforms more across the entire face at impact, helping reduce ball-speed loss on off-center hits and maintain distance. The company said its NEW CORTECH FACE design makes the forged face thinner, expanding the area with a coefficient of restitution (COR) of 0.8 or higher and maximizing the nanoalloy effect. The driver uses a Light Composite Carbon Crown to reduce weight in the upper part of the head, and a Ti811 body and weight-part design to help keep head balance stable at impact, Mizuno said. The face design was kept simple to avoid distracting players. The model targets golfers with average head speed, with a focus on high rebound and forgiveness, and is based on the stable forgiveness design of the ST-MAX line, the company said. Mizuno said the JPX ONE fairway woods are designed to combine high speed and forgiveness. They use a CORTECH CHAMBER in the sole, made by integrally molding TPU with a steel-core stainless component, which the company said improves rebound performance by combining TPU rebound with the stainless component’s inertia. For the new products, Mizuno said it widened the gap between the steel core and the body, allowing the face to flex more and helping prevent ball-speed drops on mishits. The company also applied its CORTECH FACE technology, with a thicker center and thinner perimeter to amplify face flex. Compared with the previous model, it said the center section was made thinner to increase deformation and pursue higher rebound performance. Mizuno said it also extended the carbon composite crown to the sole toe side to free up discretionary weight and enable a high moment of inertia (MOI) design. Mizuno said the JPX ONE utility clubs also use the improved CORTECH CHAMBER structure to enhance rebound and minimize ball-speed loss on off-center strikes by widening the gap between the steel core and the body. The face uses a high-strength maraging steel (MAS1C), which the company said allows a thinner face while maintaining high rebound performance. Mizuno said a waffle crown structure reduces weight while maintaining strength, freeing up discretionary weight and enabling a high-MOI design. A Mizuno Korea official said, “The JPX ONE driver is a symbolic model that applies the material technology Mizuno has built up as a total sports brand to golf,” adding, “For golfers with average head speed who want to gain distance more easily, it will set a new standard for JPX.” Mizuno Korea said the new JPX ONE driver and woods are available at its official dealers nationwide and its official online store. More details are available on the Mizuno Korea website.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-03 18:00:00

Korean Golf Club Signs Amazingcrea as LIV Golf 2026 Apparel Partner Korean Golf Club (GC), a team on LIV Golf, said Monday it has signed a new partnership with Amazingcrea, a premium South Korean golfwear brand that designs performance apparel based on real golfers’ movement. Under the deal, Korean GC players will wear Amazingcrea apparel throughout LIV Golf’s 2026 season, which includes 14 tournaments in 10 countries across five continents. Amazingcrea said it will supply apparel built on its design philosophy, “Alexis_9,” which applies human-movement engineering. The company said it analyzes a golfer’s body using nine axes of rotation and a nine-section body map to reduce resistance during the swing and increase freedom of rotation. “Korean GC was created to represent South Korea’s competitiveness on the global stage, and Amazingcrea shares the same philosophy of delivering precision through design,” said Martin Kim, the team’s representative. “Their apparel starts with how the body moves, and that approach aligns with how our players prepare, compete and perform.” Amazingcrea highlighted its Coffin Ventilation technology, which uses a seamless mesh panel on the back — where body heat builds most during a swing — to create a feel closer to airflow passing through the garment. The company also cited its Accordio Band, designed to expand naturally with the swing to maximize range of motion and reduce resistance. “Amazingcrea was created to deliver perfect performance through outstanding, innovative design,” CEO In Gi Wan said. He said seeing players representing South Korea on the global stage wearing apparel built on the brand’s human-movement engineering “most clearly shows the essence of the brand: clothing that moves with the golfer.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-03 15:06:00

Amy Yang finishes runner-up at shortened LPGA season opener SEOUL, February 2 (AJP) - Amy Yang finished runner-up at this year's LPGA Tour season opener, which was reduced to 54 holes due to bitter cold and strong gusts in Orlando, Florida on Sunday. With the fourth and final round of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions canceled due to freezing temperatures, Yang, who shot 10-under 206 through the first three rounds, finished second, three shots behind Nelly Korda of the U.S. Without having to hit a single shot on Sunday, Korda, who went winless last season, opened this season by claiming her 16th LPGA career victory, the first in 14 months, earning US$315,000 from the $2.1 million prize purse. Yang was aiming for her seventh LPGA victory since winning the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in June 2024, but will have to wait for next time. Meanwhile, Hwang You-min, making her LPGA debut, tied for fifth at 5-under 211 with Japan's Miyu Yamashita. Last year's champion Kim A-lim ended in a tie for ninth at 3-under 213, along with Lee So-mi and Ryu Hae-ran. 2026-02-02 10:24:06

Forum Urges Sustainable Use of Pyeongchang Olympic Legacy for Winter Sports Tourism The 'K-Winter Sports Tourism Global Competitiveness Forum' was held on Jan. 27 at the Athens Hall of the Olympic Parktel in Seoul to discuss the future of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics legacy and ways to boost winter sports tourism. Discussions centered on how to use key Olympic facilities — including Pyeongchang Alpensia and the Jeongseon Alpine Ski Center — as sustainable assets embedded in local communities and industry, rather than limiting debate to whether they should be dismantled. Environmental issues were treated as matters to manage and consider, but the focus remained on practical strategies to keep the legacy in active use. The forum was co-hosted by the Korea Sports Tourism Marketing Association, the Korea Sports Industry Association and the Asian Ski Federation. Kim Nak Gon, head of a residents' committee in Sukam-ri, Jeongseon, attended along with about 40 Jeongseon residents, who shared local views on how the facilities should be used. Rep. Jin Jong Oh of the People Power Party said in congratulatory remarks that world-class venues such as the Jeongseon Alpine Ski Center should not be easily given up and should be considered national assets. He said institutions and policies should support their use so they can contribute to tourism, local economies and jobs. Kim Jin Sun, who served as the first chairman of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics organizing committee and is a former Gangwon governor, said environmental considerations are a given, but the more important choice is how to carry the facilities forward with the region. He said Olympic legacy sites are public assets whose value should be increased through management and use, not dismantling. In a keynote presentation, Kim Ki Hong, a former secretary-general of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics organizing committee, said debate over the legacy has moved beyond simple pro-and-con positions. He said the time has come to develop workable on-the-ground models and operating strategies, rather than continuing what he called wasteful arguments over whether to keep the facilities. He added that Olympic venues, including the Jeongseon Alpine Ski Center, have strong potential to link international competitions, national team training and visitor experiences. Kim Tae Dong, a researcher at the Gangwon Research Institute, said the Jeongseon Alpine Ski Center is the only facility in South Korea that meets international standards for an Olympic downhill course, calling it irreplaceable sports infrastructure. He said it should be developed into a key hub for winter sports tourism through systematic management and phased-use strategies, rather than short-term cost calculations. He said a combined-use model linking training, competitions and experiential tourism could also help expand longer-stay tourism in Jeongseon and across the Gangwon region. Seok Kang Hun, a professor at the Korea National University of Transportation, said major overseas Winter Olympics host countries use venues for multiple functions rather than a single purpose. He said sustainability is secured when international events, athlete development and programs for general tourists operate together. Han Seung Jin, a professor at Eulji University, said the Olympic legacy debate is not about whether to leave facilities behind, but how they will be used. He said sustainability requires designing repeatable uses along with an operating body and a funding model.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 17:45:45

Kim Sei Young, Kim A Lim and Choi Hye Jin named among 15 LPGA players to watch in 2026 Kim Sei Young, Kim A Lim and Choi Hye Jin were named among 15 players to watch for the LPGA Tour’s upcoming 2026 season. Golf Digest announced its list on Tuesday (Korea time) ahead of the season opener. The three were the only South Korean players included. Kim Sei Young, ranked No. 9 in the world, is a 13-time LPGA winner. She won the BMW Ladies Championship in October last year to add her first title since November 2020. Golf Digest said Kim had one win and 10 top-10 finishes last season, and led the tour in par-5 scoring average at 4.55. Kim A Lim won last season’s LPGA opener, the Hilton Grand Vacations Champions Tournament. The magazine noted she did not win again after the opener but posted nine top-10 finishes. It also cited her major record, saying she won the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open and later tied for fourth at the AIG Women’s British Open, coming close to another major title. Choi, who has not won on tour, has created plenty of chances, the magazine said. She finished in the top 10 nine times, the most among players without a win, and has 29 career top-10 finishes. “This year,” it said, “will be worth watching to see if she can lift a trophy.” The list also included world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, No. 2 Nelly Korda of the United States, No. 3 Minjee Lee of Australia and No. 4 Miyu Yamashita of Japan, along with Lottie Woad of England; Yana Wilson of the United States; Japan’s Chisato Iwai, Akie Iwai, Yamashita and Mao Saigo; Lindy Duncan of the United States; Charley Hull of England; and Gaby Lopez of Mexico. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-01-28 17:30:00

Korea Sports Council Vows Zero Tolerance in Ski National Team Selection Probe The Korea Sports Council said it will take strict action under a zero-tolerance policy over allegations of match-fixing and unfairness in selecting national team athletes in skiing. The council said Tuesday that it is “actively cooperating” with an ongoing police investigation. It said that if authorities confirm match-fixing, improper interference in selections or conflicts of interest that undermined fairness, it will act “regardless of position, relationships or past practices,” applying a zero-tolerance standard. In the sports community, questions have been raised about whether an unsuitable person was involved with a Korea Ski Association committee during the selection process for the national team in snowboard cross. The council said it asked the Korea Ski Association last year to improve its system to ensure fair national team selections. It said it has prepared revisions to its “National Team Selection and Operations Regulations” to, in principle, exclude people with a stake in the outcome from the selection process. The proposed revisions are set to be reviewed and voted on at the council’s board meeting in February. The council said it revised its “Member Sport Organization Regulations” in November to establish a basis for its guidance and oversight of sport governing bodies. It said it is also checking for possible rules violations, management accountability and needed system improvements. The council said that since Yu took office, he has consistently emphasized that “fairness is not a choice but a core value of sports.” It said it will not tolerate any conduct that undermines fairness and principles, and will work to block room for privilege or cheating and restore trust in national team selections and overall competition operations. 2026-01-28 16:12:22

Lee praises badminton star An Se-young's historic win SEOUL, December 22 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung praised South Korean players for their achievements at the BWF World Tour Finals, which wrapped up over the weekend. Shortly after badminton ace An Se-young's victory late Sunday night, Lee wrote on Facebook that the national anthem was played three times in Hangzhou, China, saying he was "very proud" of her and other players and calling 2025 "the year of South Korean badminton." The world No. 1 in women's singles became the first female badminton player to achieve 11 wins in a single season, tying the 2019 record set by former Japanese player Kento Momota. With 73 victories out of 77 matches, she earned a total of US$1,003,175 (about 1.49 billion won), surpassing $1 million for the first time. Meanwhile, in men's doubles, Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho also claimed victory, achieving 11 wins in a single season, setting a new record and becoming the first South Korean men's doubles pair to achieve the feat in 37 years. Lee lauded Seo's winning tally, which rises to 12 when including the Thailand Masters earlier this year, calling it the most individual titles won in a single season in world badminton history. In women's doubles, Lee So-hee and Baek Ha-na beat Japan to win their second straight title at the tournament. 2025-12-22 11:08:13