Journalist

Kang Sang-heon
  • South Korea Mixed Doubles Curlers Lose to Norway, Eliminated at Milan-Cortina 2026
    South Korea Mixed Doubles Curlers Lose to Norway, Eliminated at Milan-Cortina 2026 South Korea’s mixed doubles curling pair Kim Seon Young (Gangneung City Hall) and Jeong Yeong Seok (Gangwon Provincial Government) finished the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics round-robin with a comeback loss to Norway. Kim and Jeong lost 8-5 to Norway’s Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten on Sunday (Korea time) at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, in their ninth and final round-robin game. They ended the tournament 3-6. Ten teams are competing in mixed doubles, with one man and one woman per team. After a round-robin in which each team plays the others once, the top four advance to the semifinals and final to decide the medals. Kim and Jeong opened with five straight losses before turning things around. On Saturday, they beat medal contender the United States, then followed with wins over Estonia and Canada for a three-game streak. Even so, they were already unable to catch the top four regardless of the result against Norway. South Korea started strongly in the finale, scoring one in the first end and two in the second for a 3-0 lead. Norway pulled within 3-2 with two in the third, but South Korea added points in the fourth and fifth to go up 5-2. The momentum shifted late. Norway used a power play in the sixth end — a rule that lets the team with last stone reposition stones to set up a big score — and tied it by scoring three to make it 5-5. In the seventh, South Korea called for a power play but committed a hog line violation on the final stone, giving up two points and falling behind 7-5. South Korea could not recover in the eighth, allowing one more point to finish the 8-5 loss.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-09 20:30:00
  • South Korea’s Kim Sang-gyeom wins snowboard silver, becomes oldest Korean individual Olympic medalist
    South Korea’s Kim Sang-gyeom wins snowboard silver, becomes oldest Korean individual Olympic medalist South Korean snowboarder Kim Sang-gyeom made Olympic history with a surprise silver medal at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games. Kim won silver in the men’s parallel giant slalom final on Feb. 8 (Korea time) at Livigno Snow Park in Italy, delivering South Korea’s first medal of these Olympics. After qualifying eighth, Kim advanced through the bracket and upset this season’s World Cup No. 1, Roland Fischnaller of Italy, in the quarterfinals. He reached the final and lost to Benjamin Karl of Austria by 0.19 seconds to secure silver. The medal capped Kim’s fourth Olympic appearance. He emerged as a top prospect after winning the 2011 Erzurum Winter Universiade in Turkiye, but struggled at the Olympics: 17th in qualifying at the 2014 Sochi Games, eliminated in the round of 16 at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, and 24th in qualifying at the 2022 Beijing Games. He broke through at age 37. Kim is now South Korea’s oldest Olympic medalist in an individual event. The previous mark belonged to shooter Jin Jong-oh, who won gold in the 50-meter pistol at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics at age 36. The oldest South Korean Winter Olympic medalist had been speedskater Lee Seung-hoon, who won bronze in the mass start at the 2022 Beijing Games at age 34. Including team events, South Korea’s oldest Olympic medalist remains archer Oh Jin-hyeok, who won gold in the men’s team event at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics at age 40. Kim’s result also added to South Korea’s ski and snowboard history. It marked the country’s second Olympic medal in this event, eight years after Lee Sang-ho won silver at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games for the nation’s first Olympic podium in skiing and snowboarding. Kim’s silver was also South Korea’s 400th Olympic medal. South Korea won its first Olympic medal at the 1948 London Summer Olympics, when weightlifter Kim Seong-jip took bronze. Through the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, South Korea had 320 Summer Games medals (109 gold, 100 silver, 111 bronze). Through the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, it had 79 Winter Games medals (33 gold, 30 silver, 16 bronze), for a total of 399. Kim’s silver pushed the overall count to 400. 2026-02-09 18:04:08
  • Korea Sports Council to Run Official Website for 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics
    Korea Sports Council to Run Official Website for 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics The Korea Sports Council said Monday it will operate an official website during the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics to provide information on South Korea’s athletes and the competition. The special site will feature official athlete profiles, event schedules, real-time results and past Olympic records. Schedules and results will be delivered quickly and accurately through an information link with the International Olympic Committee. Athlete interviews, on-site Team Korea updates, and Olympics-related event information from the council and sponsors will be shared through social media and the website. The site will also list South Korea’s past Olympic results and profiles of previous medalists, including their honors. A national team archive will provide details on the current delegation’s activities, national team history and results from previous competitions. Yoo Seung Min, president of the Korea Sports Council, said the website will provide real-time information such as schedules and results to boost public interest in the Olympics and build support for the team.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-09 17:12:00
  • South Korea’s Kim Sang-gyeom Wins Olympic Silver in Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom
    South Korea’s Kim Sang-gyeom Wins Olympic Silver in Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom Kim Sang-gyeom, a snowboarder who kept chasing his Olympic dream while working construction day jobs to make ends meet, has won a long-awaited silver medal at age 37. Kim took silver in the men’s parallel giant slalom final at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics on Feb. 8 (Korea time) at Livigno Snow Park in Italy. It was the first medal for South Korea’s team at these Olympics. Kim’s path to the podium was marked by years of financial strain. As a child, he struggled with asthma and started track and field to improve his health. In his second year of middle school, he took up snowboarding at a physical education teacher’s suggestion. After graduating from Korea National Sport University in 2011, he found it difficult to continue as an athlete without a corporate team. During training seasons, he worked part-time one day each weekend, and in the offseason he took daily construction labor jobs. He showed early promise by winning the parallel giant slalom at the 2011 Erzurum Winter Universiade in Turkey, but the Olympics proved tougher. At the 2014 Sochi Games, he became the first South Korean to compete in the event but finished 17th in qualifying and missed the round of 16. At the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, he lost in the round of 16. At the 2022 Beijing Games, he placed 24th in qualifying and again failed to reach the round of 16. His best finish at the world championships was fourth in the parallel giant slalom in 2021. Kim’s results improved in his mid-30s. In November 2024, he won a World Cup silver medal in Meilin, China, his first World Cup medal in 15 years on the circuit. He added a bronze medal in March last year in Krynica, Poland. In his fourth Olympics, Kim advanced from qualifying in eighth place and moved into the 16-rider bracket. In the quarterfinals, he upset Roland Fischnaller of Italy, the No. 1 rider in this season’s World Cup rankings. Kim reached the final and lost to Benjamin Karl of Austria by 0.19 seconds to secure silver. In a postrace interview, Kim said, “I finally did it. I’m really happy. I’m so glad to win a medal at my fourth Olympics. Today I rode at more than 90 points.” Asked who he thought of most at the moment he won the medal, Kim mentioned his wife, tearing up as he spoke. “Thank you for waiting,” he said. “My family gave me so much strength. Thanks to the many people who believed in me, I didn’t give up and made it this far. I’ll hang this medal on my mom, dad and my wife,” he said with a smile. “Snowboarding is my life,” Kim said. “There’s still a lot to get through. But I believe if I keep at it, there will be better results.” Kim’s medal also marked a milestone for South Korean winter sports. South Korea’s ski and snowboard athletes added a medal in the same event for the first time in eight years, after Lee Sang-ho won silver in the parallel giant slalom at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games for the country’s first Olympic podium finish in skiing and snowboarding. The silver was also South Korea’s 400th Olympic medal. South Korea won its first Olympic medal at the 1948 London Summer Olympics, when weightlifter Kim Seong-jip took bronze. Through the 2024 Paris Games, South Korea had won 320 Summer Olympic medals (109 gold, 100 silver, 111 bronze). Through the 2022 Beijing Games, it had won 79 Winter Olympic medals (33 gold, 30 silver, 16 bronze), for a total of 399. Kim’s silver pushed the overall count to 400. 2026-02-09 08:15:00
  • South Korea’s Cha Jun-hwan, Shin Jia gain team-event experience, eye Olympic singles medals
    South Korea’s Cha Jun-hwan, Shin Jia gain team-event experience, eye Olympic singles medals South Korea’s figure skating standouts Cha Jun-hwan and Shin Jia used the team event as a tune-up, getting a feel for the Olympic ice and atmosphere ahead of the singles competition. South Korea finished seventh with 14 points in the figure skating team event at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics on Saturday (Korea time) at the Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy. The top five advanced to the final segment (free skating and free dance), and South Korea did not qualify. Cha placed eighth in the men’s short program. His key mistake came on the final jump element, a triple axel, when he lost rotation on takeoff and turned it into a single axel (one and a half rotations). Under short program rules, skaters must attempt a double axel or triple axel for the element to count, so it was scored as zero. Afterward, Cha told reporters in the mixed zone, “It’s disappointing that I made a mistake on the third jump (the triple axel). I want to think of it as a vaccine shot ahead of the individual event.” He added, “It’s frustrating because it’s not something I usually do, but I’m satisfied because the other elements were about as good as in practice. I’ll make up for it in the individual event.” Cha will skate the men’s short program on Feb. 11, with medals decided in the free skate on Feb. 14. Shin, competing in her first Olympics, boosted expectations with a steady performance in the women’s short program on Feb. 6, finishing fourth. After a clean skate, she clenched her fist in celebration. In a broadcaster interview, Shin said she tried not to dwell on the Olympic stage. “I thought I’d get nervous if I kept thinking it was the Olympics, so I controlled my mindset and told myself it was a competition I always do,” she said. “That helped me skate like I usually do.” She added, “The team event helped me find my rhythm. I’ll carry that momentum into the individual event and show everything I can do.” Shin is scheduled to skate the women’s short program on Feb. 18, aiming for South Korea’s first Olympic figure skating medal in 16 years since Kim Yu-na. The free skate is set for Feb. 20. 2026-02-08 11:36:00
  • Cha Jun-hwan’s jump error leaves South Korea out of Olympic figure skating team final
    Cha Jun-hwan’s jump error leaves South Korea out of Olympic figure skating team final South Korea’s top men’s figure skater, Cha Jun-hwan of Seoul City Hall, stumbled in his first appearance at his third Olympics, finishing eighth in the men’s short program of the figure skating team event. Cha scored 83.53 points on Saturday (Korea time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. He earned 41.78 points in technical elements and 41.75 in program components, placing eighth among 10 skaters. The team event is a nation-based competition across four disciplines — men’s and women’s singles, pairs and ice dance. Points are awarded by placement in each segment (10 to 1), and the top five teams advance to the final (free skating and free dance). South Korea returned to the Olympic team event for the first time since the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. South Korea had 11 points after Friday’s segments: ice dancers Lim Hae-na and Kwon Ye placed seventh (four points), and women’s singles skater Shin Ji-a placed fourth (seven). South Korea did not enter a pairs team and received zero points; it was the only team-event nation without an entry in one discipline. To reach the top five, South Korea needed Cha to finish in the top two in men’s singles to add nine or 10 points. His eighth-place result ended South Korea’s chances. The team finished seventh overall. Skating fifth, Cha performed his short program to “Rain in Your Black Eyes.” He opened with a clean quadruple Salchow, then landed a triple Lutz-triple loop combination. His flying camel spin earned Level 4. But he made a costly mistake on his final jump, the triple Axel. He lost rotation on takeoff and completed only a single Axel. The men’s short program requires either a double Axel or triple Axel; Cha’s single Axel was scored zero. He finished with a change-foot combination spin and a step sequence, both graded Level 4. Yuma Kagiyama of Japan won the segment with 108.67 points. Ilia Malinin of the United States was second with 98.00. The five teams advancing to the free programs were the United States (34 points), Japan (33), Italy (28), Canada (27) and Georgia (25).* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-08 05:42:22
  • Italy Sets €180,000 Bonus for Gold at Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics
    Italy Sets €180,000 Bonus for Gold at Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics Italy, the host of the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, has set medal bonuses of 180,000 euros (about 312 million won) for gold, 90,000 euros (about 156 million won) for silver and 60,000 euros (about 100 million won) for bronze. Forbes reported on Feb. 7 (Korea time) that the Italian National Olympic Committee, known as CONI, approved the payouts, matching the amounts offered for the Paris Olympics two years ago. The first Italian athlete to earn the gold bonus was speedskater Francesca Lollobrigida. She won the women’s 3,000 meters on Feb. 8 at the speedskating venue in Milan, setting an Olympic record of 3 minutes, 54.28 seconds. Competing in her fourth straight Winter Olympics — after Sochi 2014, Pyeongchang 2018 and Beijing 2022 — Lollobrigida captured her first Olympic gold and delivered Italy’s first gold medal of these Games. Local reports said Italy’s medal target for the event is at least 19. From the first Winter Olympics in Chamonix in 1924 through the Beijing Games in 2022, Italy won 141 Winter Olympic medals: 42 gold, 43 silver and 56 bronze.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-08 02:54:00
  • South Korea mixed doubles curling team falls to Czech Republic for fifth straight round-robin loss
    South Korea mixed doubles curling team falls to Czech Republic for fifth straight round-robin loss South Korea’s mixed doubles curling pair Kim Seon Yeong (Gangneung City Hall) and Jeong Yeong Seok (Gangwon Province Office) lost again in round-robin play at the 2026 Milano-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, dropping their fifth straight match. Kim and Jeong fell 9-4 to the Czech team of Julie Zelingrova and Vit Havlicovsky on Friday (Korea time) at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. South Korea had previously lost 10-3 to Sweden, 8-4 to Italy, 8-5 to Switzerland and 8-2 to Britain. The defeat to the Czech Republic left the team at the bottom of the standings. Ten teams are competing in mixed doubles, with one man and one woman per team. After a round-robin in which each team plays the others once, the top four advance to the semifinals and final to determine the medals. South Korea gave up two points in the first end. With last stone in the second, it had a chance for a big score but managed only one point. The team tied it 2-2 in the third by stealing a point after a precise freeze shot. The Czech Republic pulled away in the fourth, taking two points for a 4-2 lead, then stole two more in the fifth after Jeong missed his final shot. Trailing 6-2, South Korea used its one power play of the game in the sixth end and scored two to close the gap, but surrendered three in the seventh and lost 9-4. Kim and Jeong are scheduled to play the United States at 3:05 a.m. Saturday.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-08 00:42:00
  • South Korea Mixed Doubles Curlers Fall to Britain for Fourth Straight Round-Robin Loss
    South Korea Mixed Doubles Curlers Fall to Britain for Fourth Straight Round-Robin Loss South Korea’s mixed doubles curling pair Kim Seon Yeong (Gangneung City Hall) and Jeong Yeong Seok (Gangwon Provincial Office) lost again in round-robin play at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. Kim and Jeong fell 8-2 to Britain’s Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat on Thursday (Korea time) at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, dropping to 0-4. South Korea previously lost 10-3 to Sweden, 8-4 to Italy and 8-5 to Switzerland and remained at the bottom of the standings. Ten teams are competing in mixed doubles, with each nation playing a round-robin schedule once. The top four advance to the semifinals and final to determine the medals. South Korea trailed early, giving up two points in the first end and one more in the second for a 3-0 deficit. It scored one in the third, but allowed two in the fourth to fall behind 5-1. In the fifth end, South Korea used its one-time power play, which allows the team with last stone to change the pre-set stone placement to try for multiple points. The move backfired, and Britain scored two more. With the comeback out of reach, Kim and Jeong ended the match by shaking hands with their opponents. Kim and Jeong are scheduled to face the Czech Republic at 10:35 p.m. Friday as they seek their first win.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-07 00:30:00
  • South Korea’s Shin Ji-a places fourth in women’s short program at Olympic team event
    South Korea’s Shin Ji-a places fourth in women’s short program at Olympic team event South Korea’s women’s singles skater Shin Ji-a (Sehwa Girls’ High School) made a solid Olympic debut on Thursday in the figure skating team event. Shin finished fourth in the women’s short program at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Milan, scoring 68.80 points (37.93 technical, 30.87 program components). Her result earned South Korea seven points in the segment, leaving the team seventh overall with 11 points. Earlier, Lim Hae-na and Kwon Ye (Gyeonggi Provincial Government) placed seventh in the rhythm dance with 70.55 points to collect four points. Ten countries are competing in the team event across men’s and women’s singles, pairs and ice dance. Points are awarded by placement in each segment (10 to 1), and the top five advance to the final round (free skating and free dance) to decide the medals. South Korea are competing in the Olympic team event for the first time since the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. Without a pairs team, South Korea are entering only men’s and women’s singles and ice dance, the only team in the field missing an event. Skating fourth, Shin performed her short program to “Nocturne.” She opened with a clean triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination for a base value of 10.10 and 1.10 in grade of execution. She landed a double Axel and earned level 4 on her flying camel spin. In the second half, where elements receive a 10% bonus, she completed a triple flip without a major error for 0.68 in GOE. She closed with a level 4 change-foot combination spin, a level 3 step sequence and a level 3 layback spin. Kaori Sakamoto of Japan won the segment with 78.88 points. Alysa Liu of the United States was second with 74.90, and Italy’s Lara Naki Gutmann placed third with 71.62.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-06 23:45:00