Journalist

Kang Sang-heon
  • WADA to Review Claims of Hyaluronic Acid Injections to Game Ski Jump Suit Measurements
    WADA to Review Claims of Hyaluronic Acid Injections to Game Ski Jump Suit Measurements A controversy over alleged “penis enlargement injections” in ski jumping erupted a day before the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics open. The World Anti-Doping Agency said it will review the allegations. On Feb. 5 (local time), German outlet Bild, citing an anonymous source, reported claims that some ski jumpers inject hyaluronic acid into their genitals or put clay in their underwear before suit measurements to temporarily increase the recorded size. Ski jumping is a sport in which the suit can significantly affect results. Under the rules, suit size is set based on an athlete’s body measurements. Even a small increase in measured size can allow a slightly larger suit surface area, which can provide an aerodynamic advantage and increase distance. According to the scientific journal Frontiers, increasing suit size by 2 centimeters can extend jump distance by up to 5.8 meters. In a related BBC report, Sandro Pertile, race director at the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, said, “In jump suits, even 1 centimeter matters. If the surface area of the suit increases by just 5%, you can fly farther.” Hyaluronic acid is not currently a banned substance. WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said he does not know whether such actions improve performance, but added that “if anything is actually revealed,” the agency will examine whether it raises a doping-related issue.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-06 23:30:00
  • Lim Hae Na-Kwon Ye place seventh in Olympic team event rhythm dance, earn 4 points
    Lim Hae Na-Kwon Ye place seventh in Olympic team event rhythm dance, earn 4 points Lim Hae Na and Kwon Ye finished seventh in the ice dance rhythm dance in the figure skating team event at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics. Skating on Feb. 6 (Korea time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena, the South Korean duo scored 70.55 points, with 39.54 in technical elements and 31.01 in program components. They placed seventh among 10 teams and earned four ranking points. The team event is a nation-by-nation 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 countries advance to the final (free skating and free dance) to decide the overall standings. South Korea are competing in the Olympic figure skating team event for the first time since the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. With no pairs team, South Korea are entering only men's and women's singles and ice dance, making them the only team in the event missing a discipline. Skating fifth overall, Lim and Kwon performed their rhythm dance to "Men in Black." In the sequential twizzles, the first required element, they received Level 4 and Level 3. Their pattern dance type step sequence was Level 1, and their midline step sequence earned Level 2 for each skater. They completed a rotational lift at Level 4 and finished with a choreographic rhythm sequence at Level 1. Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States won the segment with 91.06 points. France's Laurence Fournier and Guillaume Cizeron were second with 89.98, and Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson were third with 86.85.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-06 20:06:00
  • Forbes: Freestyle skier Eileen Gu tops Milan-Cortina Olympic athletes with US$23 million in annual earnings
    Forbes: Freestyle skier Eileen Gu tops Milan-Cortina Olympic athletes with US$23 million in annual earnings Freestyle skier Eileen Gu of China has been named the highest annual earner among star athletes expected to compete at the 2026 Milan·Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics. Forbes reported on Thursday (Korea time) that Gu made US$23 million over the past year, the most among athletes headed to the Games. Gu, born in California to an American father and a Chinese mother, graduated from Stanford University. After competing in the United States, she joined China's national team in 2019. She won two gold medals and one silver at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, becoming a household name in China. At the upcoming Olympics, she is aiming for a second straight title and three gold medals in big air, halfpipe and slopestyle. Forbes said only about $100,000 of her earnings came from prize money. Most of her income came from modeling and endorsements, largely with Chinese brands, the magazine reported. Gu has more than 2.1 million followers on social media, according to the report. Second on the list was NHL player Auston Matthews of the United States. Forbes said he is the only NHL player to top $20 million in its annual earnings rankings, adding that Nike and Uber Eats are among his main sponsors. Third was U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn, whose annual earnings were estimated at $8 million. Vonn retired in 2019 and returned to competition in the 2024-2025 season. Forbes said she has worked with more than 12 brands, including Delta Air Lines, Land Rover and Rolex. Vonn, 42, will try to become the oldest alpine skiing medalist in Olympic history at the Games.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-06 19:45:00
  • Soaring Gold and Silver Prices Push Milan-Cortina Olympic Medals to Record Metal Value
    Soaring Gold and Silver Prices Push Milan-Cortina Olympic Medals to Record Metal Value The athletes who step onto the podium at the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics will take home honor — and what is being described as the most expensive medals ever, driven by a global surge in gold and silver prices. CNN reported on Feb. 5 local time that more than 700 gold, silver and bronze medals are expected to be awarded across events including skiing, ice hockey, figure skating and curling. While the symbolic value of a medal cannot be priced, CNN said the metal value alone is at a record high. The jump reflects a sharp rise in precious-metals prices. According to financial data provider FactSet, since the Paris Olympics in July 2024, spot gold has risen about 107% and spot silver about 200%. As a result, a Winter Olympics gold medal is valued at about US$2,300 (about 3.38 million won), and a silver medal at about US$1,400 (about 2.06 million won). That is more than double the Paris 2024 level for gold medals and more than triple for silver medals. Italy’s state mint made the gold medals using recycled metals. Although they appear gold, they are filled with pure silver. Under International Olympic Committee rules, gold medals must be based on at least 92.5% pure silver and plated with at least 6 grams of gold. For this Games, the gold medal is made with 500 grams of 99.9% silver and plated with 6 grams of gold, for a total weight of 506 grams. By contrast, the raw-material value of a bronze medal — made with about 420 grams of copper — is about US$5.60 (about 7,500 won) each. Analysts expect precious-metals prices to remain strong, which could push medal values higher in future Olympics. Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Denmark-based investment bank Saxo Bank, said demand is likely to hold up given geopolitical uncertainty and rising government debt. He predicted medals for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be much more expensive than those for Milan. Still, medals are not valued only by their metal content. CNN noted that Olympic medals can sell for far more as collectibles, citing a 1912 Stockholm Olympics gold medal that sold for US$26,000 (38.22 million won) in 2015. CNN added, however, that most Olympic medals are never sold. 2026-02-06 17:21:00
  • Figure Skating Team Event Begins as Milan-Cortina Olympics Open; Carey, Bocelli Set for Ceremony
    Figure Skating Team Event Begins as Milan-Cortina Olympics Open; Carey, Bocelli Set for Ceremony The 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics have begun, and South Korea’s team has moved into full competition in pursuit of medals. About 2,900 athletes from 92 national Olympic committees are competing for 116 gold medals across eight sports and 16 disciplines. South Korea sent a 130-member delegation, including 71 athletes, and is aiming to win at least three gold medals and finish in the top 10 overall. Ahead of the official opening, mixed doubles curling began on Feb. 5 (Korea time). Because curling matches run long, 10 teams started a round-robin schedule before the opening ceremony. South Korea’s first athletes in action, Kim Seon-young and Jeong Yeong-seok, opened with a 10-3 loss to Swedish siblings Isabella Brano and Rasmus Brano, former world champions, on Feb. 5 in the morning. They then faced Italy later that day and will go on to play Switzerland, Britain, the Czech Republic, the United States, Estonia, Canada and Norway as they fight for a spot in the semifinals. Figure skating’s team event begins Feb. 6 in the afternoon, with the ice dance rhythm dance and the women’s short program scheduled. It is South Korea’s first appearance in the Olympic team event since the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. Without a pairs team, South Korea will compete using men’s and women’s singles and ice dance. The United States, Japan, Italy, Canada and other top-10 nations based on international results are also entered. Lim Hae-na and Kwon Ye are set for the team event ice dance rhythm dance at 5:55 p.m. Lim was born in Canada and holds dual Canadian and South Korean citizenship. Kwon, a Chinese Canadian, received special naturalization from South Korea’s Justice Ministry in December 2024 to compete at the Olympics. Shin Ji-a will skate the women’s short program at 9:35 p.m. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 4 a.m. Feb. 7 at Milan’s Giuseppe Meazza Stadium. Italian director Marco Balich, who has produced opening and closing ceremonies for major international sports events including the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics, is serving as artistic director. The ceremony’s theme is “Armonia,” Italian for “harmony.” With about 1,200 performers, the ceremony will feature Mariah Carey, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and Chinese pianist Lang Lang. The International Olympic Committee said it expects the event to showcase “a harmony of Italian culture and global popular arts.” Events and athlete parades will also be held simultaneously in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Predazzo and Livigno. South Korea’s flag bearers are men’s figure skater Cha Jun-hwan and women’s speed skater Park Ji-woo, who competes in the mass start. Both are appearing at their third Olympics after Pyeongchang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022. Pita Taufatofua, known for drawing attention at three Olympic opening ceremonies including Pyeongchang in 2018 by appearing shirtless, will carry the Olympic flag. Organizers selected 10 flag bearers, including Taufatofua. Because the Games are being staged in two cities, cauldrons have been installed in both Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo and will be lit and extinguished at the same time. Milan’s cauldron is at the Arco della Pace, and Cortina d’Ampezzo’s is in Piazza Dibona. The cauldrons were designed with inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci’s work “Knot,” featuring a spherical form made of aircraft-grade aluminum that holds the Olympic flame.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-06 00:03:00
  • South Korea Mixed Doubles Curling Team Falls to Italy, Drops to 0-2 in Round Robin
    South Korea Mixed Doubles Curling Team Falls to Italy, Drops to 0-2 in Round Robin South Korea’s mixed doubles curling pair of Kim Seon-young (Gangneung City Hall) and Jeong Yeong-seok (Gangwon Provincial Office) lost their second straight round-robin game at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. Kim and Jeong fell 8-4 to Italy’s Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner on Feb. 5 at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, in their second round-robin match. Earlier that day, South Korea were routed 10-3 by Sweden’s Isabella and Rasmus Bran, leaving the Koreans 0-2 in the round robin. Ten teams are competing in mixed doubles, with each nation playing a round-robin schedule. The top four advance to the semifinals and final to determine the medals. South Korea are set to play Switzerland, Britain, the Czech Republic, the United States, Estonia, Canada and Norway next. Kim and Jeong earned the last of the 10 Olympic berths through the Olympic Qualification Event (OQE). It is the second time South Korean curling have competed in Olympic mixed doubles, and the first since Pyeongchang 2018, when Jang Hye-ji and Lee Gi-jeong represented the country. South Korea have opened against top opponents. The Bran siblings won the 2024 world championship, and Constantini and Mosaner are the 2022 Beijing Olympic gold medalists and last year’s world champions. In South Korea’s first game, play was interrupted when a sudden power outage darkened the arena and shut off the scoreboard. The match stopped for about 10 minutes before resuming after power was restored. With South Korea trailing 10-3 through six ends of an eight-end match, an official recommended ending the game, and Kim and Jeong offered handshakes that ended play. A comeback was still mathematically possible because a team can score up to six points in one end. Some have suggested the official may have mistakenly believed only one end remained. Under the rules, an early finish is finalized not by an official’s declaration but when a player offers a handshake to concede. Even with the recommendation, the outcome could have differed if Kim and Jeong had protested on the spot, but the match ended after the handshakes. Kim and Jeong are scheduled to play Switzerland at 3:05 a.m. on Feb. 6 in their third round-robin game. 2026-02-05 23:45:00
  • Badminton Star Kim Won Ho Wins Korean Sport and Olympic Committee’s Top Sports Award
    Badminton Star Kim Won Ho Wins Korean Sport and Olympic Committee’s Top Sports Award Kim Won Ho (Samsung Life), who won the men’s doubles title at the 2025 Paris World Badminton Championships and claimed 11 World Tour titles in a single season, has been selected for the top prize at the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee’s sports awards. The committee said Thursday it chose Kim for making “remarkable contributions to South Korean sports in 2025” and for helping advance and promote athletics. The top award includes a plaque and a special prize. After review by its Sports Fairness Committee and approval at its 12th board meeting on Monday, the committee selected 93 individuals and five organizations as winners across eight categories: competition, coaching, officiating, recreational sports, school sports, merit, research and sports values. Category grand-prize winners were: Choi Tae Ho (Gangwon Province Cycling Federation) and Ban Hyo Jin (Daegu Physical Education High School) in competition; Lee Se Won, weightlifting coach for Goyang City Hall, and Jung Sung Sook, judo coach at Yongin University, in coaching; Kim Eun Hee (Korea Judo Association) in officiating; Cha Du Yeon (Busan Roller Sports Federation) in recreational sports; Oh Jong Hwan, a teacher at Oncheon Elementary School, in school sports; Lee Chung Hwan, vice president of the Korea Sepaktakraw Association, and Kim Gwang Tae, vice president of the Daejeon Modern Pentathlon Federation, in merit; Kim Seok Gyu, an associate professor in sports science at Dongguk University, in research; and Park Kang Gyu, president of the Seoul Curling Federation, in sports values. Winners receive plaques and prizes. The committee also will present plaques and prizes to other recipients in each category: 21 individuals and three organizations receiving excellence awards, and 60 individuals and two organizations receiving encouragement awards. The Korean Sport and Olympic Committee established the awards in 1955 and has honored people each year for outstanding performance or for creative and dedicated efforts that contribute to the development of South Korean sports. The 72nd awards ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. March 13 at Champion House at the Taereung Training Center.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-05 15:45:00
  • Striker Oh Hyeon-gyu signs with Turkish club
    Striker Oh Hyeon-gyu signs with Turkish club SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - Striker Oh Hyeon-gyu has transferred from Belgium's KRC Genk to Turkey's Beşiktaş JK. According to the Turkish club, he signed a deal running through June 2029 for a transfer fee of 14 million euros. Beşiktaş JK, based in Istanbul, are one of Turkey's most decorated clubs with 16 Turkish Süper Lig titles and 11 Turkish Cup trophies. Oh began his European career in January 2023 with Scottish powerhouse Celtic FC after leaving Suwon Samsung, then moved to Genk in the summer of 2024, where he scored 10 goals along with three assists in 32 appearances this season, including in the UEFA Europa League. 2026-02-05 09:30:19
  • NOL Universe launches official merchandise for 2027 Chungcheong Universiade
    NOL Universe launches official merchandise for 2027 Chungcheong Universiade NOL Universe said Wednesday it has launched 18 types of official merchandise for the 2027 Chungcheong Universiade, including hooded sweatshirts, caps and key rings. The release follows an October agreement with the Chungcheong Universiade Organizing Committee on an official merchandising rights project. Under the deal, NOL Universe is responsible for developing, producing and selling souvenirs using the event’s intellectual property, including its logo, emblem and mascot. The items are available through the Chungcheong Universiade category on NOL MD shop, the company’s sports merchandise platform. To mark the launch, NOL Universe is offering discounts of up to 50% on related products until further notice. Separately, the organizing committee will run an Instagram event through March 5, offering prizes to customers who post proof of purchase of the newly released goods. Baek Sae Mi, head of NOL Universe’s entertainment business, said the company has released sports merchandise with teams and associations to help fans and athletes unite. She said the 2027 Chungcheong Universiade goods will help support people worldwide in cheering on the student-athlete festival. The 2027 Chungcheong Universiade is an international sports festival for university students. It will be held Aug. 1-12 next year across four provinces and cities in the Chungcheong region: Daejeon, Sejong, North Chungcheong and South Chungcheong. About 15,000 student-athletes from about 150 countries are expected to compete in 18 sports. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-05 08:57:00
  • South Korea striker Oh Hyeon-gyu joins Besiktas from Genk for 14 million euros
    South Korea striker Oh Hyeon-gyu joins Besiktas from Genk for 14 million euros South Korea national team striker Oh Hyeon-gyu has left Belgium’s Genk to join Turkey’s Besiktas. Besiktas announced the signing on its website on Feb. 5, Korea time. The club said the transfer fee was 14 million euros ($14 million), about 24.1 billion won. The deal runs through June 2029, a term of 3 1/2 years. Oh will wear No. 9, typically associated with a team’s starting center forward. Besiktas, based in Istanbul, are one of Turkey’s most successful clubs, with 16 Turkish Super Lig titles and 11 Turkish Cup trophies. This season, Besiktas are fifth in the 18-team league at 10-6-4 (36 points). Oh began his European career in January 2023, leaving Suwon Samsung in South Korea’s second-tier K League 2 to join Scottish powerhouse Celtic. Over a season and a half, he scored 12 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions and helped the club complete a domestic treble. He moved to Genk in the summer of 2024 and has 10 goals and three assists in 32 matches in all competitions this season, including the UEFA Europa League.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-05 08:48:00