Journalist

Kang Sang Heon
  • South Korea’s First Olympic Snowboard Cross Racer Woo Subin Misses Round of 16
    South Korea’s First Olympic Snowboard Cross Racer Woo Subin Misses Round of 16 Woo Subin, the first South Korean athlete to compete in Olympic snowboard cross, failed to advance to the round of 16. Woo was disqualified after slipping midway through her heat in the women’s snowboard cross round-of-32 qualifying races at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Feb. 13 (Korea time) at Livigno Snow Park in Italy. She was listed as DNF (did not finish), ending her bid to move on, with the top two finishers in each heat advancing to the round of 16. Snowboard cross, added as an official Olympic event at the 2006 Turin Games, is raced on a course featuring jumps, moguls and banked turns. In seeding runs, Woo placed 29th out of 32 in the first run with 1 minute, 19.90 seconds, and ninth out of 12 in the second run with 1:17.82. She entered the round-of-32 races ranked 29th overall. In her heat, she fell to the back after the start. While trying to make up ground, she went down and was ruled DNF. Regardless of the result, she got back up and crossed the finish line, drawing applause from the crowd.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 23:48:00
  • Klaebo wins 10K freestyle for third gold at Milan-Cortina Olympics, ties Winter Games record
    Klaebo wins 10K freestyle for third gold at Milan-Cortina Olympics, ties Winter Games record Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo of Norway completed a cross-country skiing triple at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, earning his eighth career Olympic gold medal. Klaebo won the men’s 10-kilometer interval-start freestyle on Feb. 13 (Korean time) at the Tesero Cross-Country Stadium in Italy, finishing in 20 minutes, 36.2 seconds. He added the title to golds in the men’s skiathlon (10km+10km) and the men’s sprint classic at these Games. The victory gave Klaebo eight Olympic gold medals in total. He won three at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games (men’s sprint classic, men’s 4x10km relay and men’s sprint freestyle) and two at the 2022 Beijing Games (men’s sprint freestyle and men’s team sprint classic). Klaebo’s eight golds tie the all-time Winter Olympics record, matching biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and cross-country skiers Bjoern Daehlie and Marit Bjoergen, all of Norway. If Klaebo can also win long-distance events, he could set a new record for most Winter Olympic gold medals. At last year’s world championships, he won six golds, including the 10km classic, 20km skiathlon and 50km freestyle. The 10km freestyle was held in an interval-start format, with skiers starting at set time gaps and the fastest overall time determining the winner. Klaebo was 12th through the opening 1.8 kilometers, then surged over the final 1 kilometer to take gold. South Korea’s Lee Jun-seo of Gyeonggi Provincial Government finished in 24:25.4, placing 73rd among 113 competitors.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 23:03:00
  • Milan-Cortina 2026: South Korea’s Choi Ga-on to Receive 300 Million Won Bonus for Gold
    Milan-Cortina 2026: South Korea’s Choi Ga-on to Receive 300 Million Won Bonus for Gold Choi Ga-on (Sehwa High School), South Korea’s first gold medalist of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, will receive a 300 million won ($) bonus from the Korea Ski and Snowboard Association. Competing Feb. 13 (Korea time) at Livigno Snow Park in Italy, Choi scored 90.25 points to win the women’s snowboard halfpipe final, beating American Chloe Kim, who scored 88.00. The victory gave Choi South Korea’s first gold of the Milan-Cortina Games and the first Winter Olympic gold medal in Korean skiing. The association has set medal bonuses of 300 million won for gold, 200 million won for silver and 100 million won for bronze. As the gold medalist, Choi will receive 300 million won. Since 2014, with Lotte Group serving as the association’s lead sponsor, the bonus program has expanded. For the Olympics, world championships, World Cup events, the Youth Olympics and junior world championships, the association pays bonuses not only for medals but also for finishes up to sixth place. Olympic gold medalists also receive 63 million won in government prize money and a performance-based pension from the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation. Depending on evaluation points, an Olympic gold medalist can receive 1 million won per month or a lump sum of 67.2 million won.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 21:00:00
  • Olympic Gold Medalist Choi Ga-on to Receive Omega Watch Worth 9.5 Million Won
    Olympic Gold Medalist Choi Ga-on to Receive Omega Watch Worth 9.5 Million Won Choi Ga-on (Sehwa High School), the first gold medalist for South Korea at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, is set to receive an Omega watch valued at 9.5 million won. Competing Feb. 13 (Korea time) at Livigno Snow Park in Italy, Choi scored 90.25 to win the women’s snowboard halfpipe final, beating Chloe Kim of the United States, who scored 88.00. The victory made Choi South Korea’s first gold medalist of these Games and delivered the first Winter Olympic gold medal in Korean skiing. Omega, the Olympics’ official timekeeper, said on Jan. 26 it would present an Olympic Edition watch to the first South Korean athlete to win an individual gold medal at Milan-Cortina. That recipient will be Choi. The gift is the “Speedmaster 38mm Olympic Edition” timepiece. It features a “finger trace” pattern inspired by the Milan-Cortina 2026 emblem, a sub-dial finish evoking ski slopes, and a caseback engraved with a Milan-Cortina 2026 medallion, Omega said. Omega said the award is meant to honor “the pinnacle of the Olympic spirit — excellence, precision and dedication to sport — and to celebrate the one athlete who reached the top first.” Omega began awarding Olympic Edition watches at the 2012 London Olympics. Jin Jong-oh received one after winning South Korea’s first gold medal there in the 10-meter air pistol, two days after the opening ceremony. At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, short track speed skaters Hwang Dae-heon and Choi Min-jeong received the watches after winning the first men’s and women’s gold medals for South Korea, respectively.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-13 16:39:00
  • 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
  • Finland Sends Ski Jumping Head Coach Home Over Drinking at Milan-Cortina Olympics
    Finland Sends Ski Jumping Head Coach Home Over Drinking at Milan-Cortina Olympics Finland’s head coach for ski jumping has been sent home from the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics over an alcohol-related incident. The Finnish Olympic Committee said it had ordered Igor Medved, the national team’s ski jumping head coach, to return to Finland. According to Finnish outlet Helsinki Times, Medved violated team rules on drinking during the Games, and the Finnish Ski Association and the Finnish Olympic Committee decided to remove him under internal regulations. Medved, who is from Slovenia, told local media he had been invited to a celebration for Slovenia’s mixed team ski jumping gold medal but said alcohol "ruined things." He apologized to athletes, coaches and fans. The Finnish Ski Association said it will review the matter after the Olympics and take appropriate follow-up steps.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 22:03:00
  • South Korea women’s curling team falls to U.S. in Olympic round-robin opener
    South Korea women’s curling team falls to U.S. in Olympic round-robin opener South Korea’s women’s curling team, Gyeonggi Province, ranked No. 3 in the world, opened the 2026 Milan·Cortina Winter Olympics round-robin with a loss. Skip Kim Eun-ji, third Kim Min-ji, second Kim Su-ji, lead Seol Ye-eun and fifth Seol Ye-ji fell 8-4 to the United States on Feb. 12 (Korean time) at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. In women’s curling, 10 teams play nine round-robin games, with the top four advancing to the semifinals. South Korea started well, scoring one point in each of the second and third ends to lead 2-0. The U.S. tied it in the fourth end with two points. Trailing 3-2, South Korea had the hammer in the seventh but gave up two when Kim Eun-ji’s final stone did not settle in the button, stretching the deficit to 5-2. South Korea answered with two in the eighth to close within 5-4, then limited the damage to one in the ninth. Down 6-4 in the 10th, it tried to rally, but Kim’s final double-takeout attempt missed, and South Korea surrendered two more to finish 8-4. South Korea plays host Italy in its second round-robin game on the morning of Feb. 13. 2026-02-12 20:15:00
  • IOC Bans Ukrainian Skeleton Racer From Milan Olympics Over Memorial Helmet
    IOC Bans Ukrainian Skeleton Racer From Milan Olympics Over Memorial Helmet The International Olympic Committee has stripped Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych of eligibility for the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics after he insisted on wearing a “memorial helmet” honoring fellow athletes killed in the war with Russia. The IOC said Thursday (Korea time) that Heraskevych was barred from the Games for failing to comply with its athlete freedom-of-expression guidelines. During training runs for the event, Heraskevych wore a custom helmet bearing images of 24 Ukrainian athletes who died during the war, the IOC said. The IOC ruled that the helmet violated Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter, which says “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.” As an alternative, the IOC proposed that he wear a memorial armband. The IOC said IOC President Kirsty Coventry met with Heraskevych earlier Thursday for talks. Heraskevych refused. “Because of the sacrifice of the athletes who died, we were able to compete here as one team,” he said. “I cannot betray them,” he added, reiterating he would keep wearing the helmet. The IOC said it “regrettably” withdrew his eligibility after he made clear he would not consider any compromise. The Associated Press reported that Heraskevych said he would challenge the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Heraskevych also drew attention at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when he held a sign after his race reading “No war in Ukraine.” The IOC at the time said it did not violate the charter because it was simply a call for peace.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 18:39:00
  • Samsung, CJ, Naver and others ramp up Team Korea marketing for 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics
    Samsung, CJ, Naver and others ramp up Team Korea marketing for 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee’s official sponsors are rolling out marketing campaigns to back South Korea’s Olympic team, known as Team Korea, for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. According to the committee on Wednesday, Samsung Electronics, an International Olympic Committee partner, used the Galaxy S25 Ultra to shoot official profile photos of Team Korea athletes competing at the Games. The photo and video shoots highlighted each athlete and sport. Beer sponsor OB Beer’s Cass brand is supporting Team Korea through its “Our unforgettable story” campaign. Cass provided cheer gifts to athletes and is serving the Cass Fresh family as the official dinner beer at Korea House in Milan, while running an on-site booth for visitors and overseas fans. In South Korea, it is also promoting social media sharing of medal moments and running Olympics-linked promotions at major venues nationwide. Official partners are also active. CJ is the title sponsor of Korea House in Milan, introducing Korean culture to visitors, and is supplying food to a meal-support center operating at the Olympic site to help athletes maintain their condition with Korean dishes. Ahead of the Games, CJ held “Bibigo Day” events at the Taereung and Jincheon national training centers. Olive Young produced a travel “K-beauty kit” and provided it to all athletes who attended the team’s send-off ceremony. Naver, the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics’ new-media broadcaster, is streaming all events on Naver Sports and Chzzk and is running a special Olympics page. The page posts photos and videos of all Team Korea athletes to help the public follow their stories and support them. Woori Financial Group is delivering support messages through TV ads, social media and outdoor advertising. Singer IU, the group’s advertising model, narrates a commercial titled “South Korea’s national team financial group,” showing people cheering for national team athletes in everyday settings. Eight affiliates are also running a customer-participation event during the Olympics to boost public interest in the team. Dunamu (Upbit) is airing a TV ad with its official model, figure skater Cha Jun-hwan, supporting all 71 Team Korea athletes. It also linked athlete support with winter-sports development through a bitcoin donation and is running an in-app Team Korea quiz event. Best Sleep, the official partner in the bed-and-mattress category, supplied mattresses, pillows and bedding to Team Korea’s accommodations in Milan to help athletes rest in an unfamiliar environment. It also held events providing bedding to athletes at the Jincheon, Pyeongchang and Taereung national training centers. SK Telecom introduced digital-based Team Korea support content, including V Coloring. Paris Baguette produced Team Korea support posters and photo cards and displayed them at stores nationwide. KOC President Ryu Seung-min said the campaigns are Olympic marketing activities carried out “in an official capacity” by companies that have signed sponsorship agreements with the committee. “Through this cooperation, we were able to responsibly deliver Team Korea’s challenge and the values of the Olympics to the public,” Ryu said. He added that the committee will continue working with sponsors to create a fair, healthy Olympic marketing environment and to support South Korea’s athletes so they can perform at their best on the international stage.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-12 17:00:36
  • Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan finishes 6th in short program, eyes Olympic medal
    Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan finishes 6th in short program, eyes Olympic medal SEOUL, February 11 (AJP) - Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan finished sixth after a flawless performance in the men's short program on Tuesday at the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Cha scored 92.72 points with 50.08 technical elements and 42.64 in program components, below his personal best of 101.33 but above his previous season best of 91.60 set at last November's NHK Trophy in Osaka, Japan. With his sixth-place finish among 29 skaters, he advanced to the free skate, where the top 24 will compete for medals on Friday. Cha, competing in his third consecutive Olympics after Pyeongchang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022, is the second South Korean figure skater to make three straight Olympic appearances, following Jeong Seong-il, who competed at the Games in Calgary in 1988, Albertville in 1992 and Lillehammer in 1994. Cha finished 15th at Pyeongchang and then placed fifth at Beijing, the best results ever achieved by a South Korean skater in the men's figure skating. After winning gold at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin last year, Cha is aiming to become the first South Korean man to win an Olympic figure skating medal. "I'm happy I was able to do what I prepared for," Cha said in an interview after finishing his short program. "I'll do my best until the end." Meanwhile, Kim Hyun-gyeom finished his Olympic debut with a score of 69.30 points, placing 26th and failing to reach the free skate. 2026-02-11 09:42:15