Journalist

Park Seung-ho
  • Choi Min-jeong Wins 7th Olympic Medal as IOC Shares Mother’s Letter
    Choi Min-jeong Wins 7th Olympic Medal as IOC Shares Mother’s Letter South Korea short track skater Choi Min-jeong set a national Olympic record with seven career medals, drawing attention to a handwritten letter from her mother shared ahead of the Games. The International Olympic Committee on Feb. 21 posted the letter on its official Instagram account, introducing it as a message from Choi’s mother to the Milano-Cortina d’Ampezzo 2026 Winter Olympics competitor. In the letter, her mother wrote that it was “a miracle” that the child who first put on skates at age 6 was now competing on the sport’s biggest stage. She added that she knew how much her daughter had cried alone after enduring pain without saying she hurt and smiling through difficult moments. “This Olympics, more than results or records, the time it took you to get here is the gold medal,” she wrote, adding, “You are already the gold medal of my life.” After winning silver in the women’s 1,500 meters final, Choi referenced the letter in an interview. “I cried a lot after reading the handwritten letter my mother gave me to read on the flight out,” she said. Choi finished the Milan Winter Olympics with one gold and one silver medal. That brought her career Olympic total to seven medals — four gold and three silver — moving her past Jin Jong-oh (shooting), Kim Soo-nyung (archery) and Lee Seung-hoon (speed skating), who each had six, for the most by a South Korean athlete. Choi, who had said this would be her final Olympics, said she believed from the start to the finish that it would be her last. Asked about retirement, she said she would “coordinate with the team.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-21 16:27:00
  • U.S. wins Olympic women’s hockey gold, beats Canada 2-1 in overtime at Milan 2026
    U.S. wins Olympic women’s hockey gold, beats Canada 2-1 in overtime at Milan 2026 The United States beat rival Canada to win Olympic gold in women’s ice hockey. The Americans defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime in the final of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Feb. 20 (Korean time) at the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy. The victory gave the United States its first Olympic title since the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, and its third overall. Canada, which had reached eight straight Olympic finals since the 1998 Nagano Games and won five of them, took silver this time. The United States entered the final 6-0 with 31 goals scored and one allowed, but conceded first. Canada struck 54 seconds into the second period on a short-handed counterattack, when Kristin O’Neill finished a pass from Laura Stacey for the opening goal. The Americans struggled to break through Canada’s defense until they pulled their goalie with 2:04 left in the third period. Captain and veteran Hilary Knight then deflected a teammate’s long-range shot to tie it. The game was decided in overtime. At 4:07, Megan Keller beat a defender and scored the winner, sealing the U.S. title in women’s ice hockey at the Milan Winter Games.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-20 07:03:00
  • Kim Da-eun, Lee So-young miss women’s halfpipe final in Milan-Cortina Olympic qualifying
    Kim Da-eun, Lee So-young miss women’s halfpipe final in Milan-Cortina Olympic qualifying South Korea’s Kim Da-eun of Kyung Hee University and Lee So-young of Sangdong High School failed to reach the Olympic women’s halfpipe final in freestyle skiing. In qualifying at Livigno Snow Park in Italy, Kim scored 41.50 points to place 20th among 21 athletes. The event uses the better of two runs, with the top 12 advancing to the final. Kim posted 23.25 on her first run after a landing mistake midway through, then improved to 41.50 on her second but remained outside the cutoff. Kim finished 17th at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and again ended her schedule in qualifying. Lee, competing in her first Olympics, scored 26.75 on her first run and 29.25 on her second to finish 21st. China’s Gu Ailing, the 2022 Beijing gold medalist in the event, fell after getting caught on the pipe wall on her first run but rebounded with an 86.50 on her second to advance in fifth. Britain’s Zoe Atkin led qualifying with 91.50. The final is scheduled for 3:30 a.m. Korean time on the 22nd.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-20 05:57:00
  • South Korea’s Lee congratulates Won Yoon-jong on election as IOC athletes’ commission member
    South Korea’s Lee congratulates Won Yoon-jong on election as IOC athletes’ commission member President Lee Jae-myung sent congratulations to Won Yoon-jong, a bobsledder elected as a new International Olympic Committee athletes’ commission member. In a late-night social media post on the 19th, Lee welcomed the news from the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics site, writing that he was pleased to see a third South Korean chosen as an IOC athletes’ commission member. Won received 1,176 votes to lead 11 candidates, according to results announced on the 19th (Korean time) at the Milan athletes’ village delegation meeting hall (CDM). He won 1,176 of 4,786 valid ballots cast by 2,393 voters, meeting the election threshold awarded to the top two vote-getters. He becomes the third South Korean to serve on the commission, after Moon Dae-sung (taekwondo) and Yoo Seung-min (table tennis). In his message, Lee noted that Won won a silver medal in four-man bobsleigh at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and helped lift South Korean bobsleigh into the world’s top tier. Lee also said Won later served as an athletes’ representative with the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, consistently speaking up for athletes’ rights. Lee said finishing first in votes amid intense competition reflected Won’s leadership, trust and sincerity on the international stage, adding that the government would actively support his work as an IOC athletes’ commission member. Won is set to undergo nomination and approval procedures at an IOC session on the 22nd. He will be formally introduced as a new member at the Milan Winter Olympics closing ceremony the same day and will begin his official term on the 23rd. 2026-02-20 02:51:00
  • South Korea’s Jeong Jae-won takes 14th in Olympic 1500m ahead of mass start
    South Korea’s Jeong Jae-won takes 14th in Olympic 1500m ahead of mass start South Korean speedskater Jeong Jae-won used the men’s 1,500 meters as a tune-up ahead of his main event, the mass start. Jeong, 25, finished 14th in 1 minute, 45.80 seconds on Thursday (Korea time) at the Milan Speed Skating Stadium at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. He had planned to skate only the mass start on Friday, but entered the 1,500 to sharpen his race feel and check the ice. Starting from the inside lane, Jeong went through 300 meters in 24.45 seconds and increased his speed in the second half to finish steadily. “It’s been a while since I raced the 1,500 on the international stage, so it felt a bit unfamiliar, but the time wasn’t bad,” Jeong said. “I’m satisfied because it feels like my preparation for the mass start is going well.” He added, “At this Olympics, I feel a strong sense of mission and responsibility,” and said he would prepare “with the determination to stand at the very top.” China’s Ning Zhongyan won gold with an Olympic-record 1:41.98. American Jordan Stolz, who had been aiming for three gold medals at these Games, took silver in 1:42.75, 0.77 seconds behind Ning. Dutch veteran Kjeld Nuis won bronze. Kim Min-seok, competing at these Olympics after switching nationality to Hungary, placed seventh in 1:45.13.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-20 02:30:00
  • Snowboarder Yoo Seung-eun Finishes 12th in Olympic Slopestyle, Ends Medal Bid
    Snowboarder Yoo Seung-eun Finishes 12th in Olympic Slopestyle, Ends Medal Bid Big air bronze medalist Yoo Seung-eun (Seongbok High School) ended her first Olympic appearance with a 12th-place finish in women’s snowboard slopestyle. Competing Feb. 18 (Korea time) at Livigno Snow Park in Italy, Yoo posted a best score of 34.18 across three finals runs, placing 12th among the 12 finalists at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. The final had been scheduled for Feb. 17 but was postponed a day because of heavy snow and severe weather. Yoo had raised medal hopes by scoring 76.80 in qualifying, third overall, but struggled to complete clean runs in the final. Going 10th, she scored 20.70 on her first run after a landing mistake in the rail section (Section 3). Her best score came on the second run. She landed a switch backside 900 on the first jump (Section 4) and followed with a frontside 360 in Section 5, but fell on the landing while attempting a backside 720 on the final jump (Section 6), finishing with 34.18. On her third run, she slipped early in Section 2 and again attempted a switch backside 900 on the first jump, but wobbled on the landing and scored 15.46. Yoo finished the Games after making history for South Korea’s snow events by winning bronze in snowboard big air. Japan’s Mari Fukada won gold with 87.83 points. Silver went to Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand, and bronze to Japan’s Kokomo Murase.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-19 00:15:00
  • Cha Jun-hwan Reveals Ankle Injury After Historic Fourth-Place Olympic Finish
    Cha Jun-hwan Reveals Ankle Injury After Historic Fourth-Place Olympic Finish South Korean men’s figure skating standout Cha Jun-hwan said he delivered the best Olympic result in the country’s history — fourth place at his third Olympics — while dealing with a painful right ankle injury. After an official practice session on Feb. 18 (Korea time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena’s training rink, the 25-year-old Seoul Metropolitan Government skater told reporters his condition had been worse than it appeared. “My right ankle, around the ankle bone, was in such bad shape that it had fluid buildup,” Cha said. He said the pain intensified during a recent skate change because the boot pressed on his ankle. “I was getting treatment while it was swollen with fluid, and it ended up stiffening while still swollen,” he said. “But I approached it thinking I had to endure somehow until the Olympics, and I didn’t show it for psychological stability.” Cha said that after finishing the free skate, the tension lifted and he came down with a severe cold and body aches. “It’s a good thing I got sick after everything was over,” he said with a smile. Cha’s effort also drew praise from a special visitor: Martina Corgnati, the daughter of late Italian singer Milva, whose original song “Ballad for a Madman” Cha used for his free skate. Corgnati visited Korea House to express thanks. In a video message, she said, “If my mother, who passed away five years ago, had seen it, she would have been moved.” She added, “The way he got back up after falling during the performance and continued was sublime. I was touched by how deeply he connected with the music.” Cha replied, “I never imagined this, so I’m surprised and grateful. Performing to that piece actually gave me strength. I really think I made the right choice changing the music.” Cha is set to skate in the Feb. 22 gala show to “Not a dream” by Korean traditional vocalist Song So-hee. He said the word that runs through his skating is “freedom,” and called it a Korean-style piece that expresses that well. He was cautious about what comes next. On the world championships after the Olympics, Cha said he is considering whether to compete given his ankle condition. Asked about a bid for the 2030 Alps Olympics, he said he needs time to regroup.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-18 22:15:00
  • Copyright Issues Over Pop Music Spotlight Olympic Figure Skating as Amber Glenn Places 13th
    Copyright Issues Over Pop Music Spotlight Olympic Figure Skating as Amber Glenn Places 13th Copyright concerns tied to the use of pop music became a major talking point in figure skating at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Even with support from pop star Madonna, U.S. skater Amber Glenn finished 13th in the women’s short program. Glenn scored 67.39 points in the women’s singles short program on Feb. 18 (Korean time) at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy, placing 13th. Glenn chose Madonna’s hit “Like a Prayer” for her short program this season and had worried about copyright issues. Before the competition, Madonna sent Glenn a video message granting permission and offering encouragement, saying, “You can use this song. I hope you win the gold medal.” But Glenn made a costly mistake late in her program, turning a planned triple loop into a double. She received zero points for the element and cried after finishing. Music-rights disputes have surfaced repeatedly in Olympic figure skating beyond Glenn’s case. Glenn also faced an objection on social media from the creator of her free-skating music, “The Return,” and resolved the issue through contact just before the team event. In men’s singles, Spain’s Guarino Sabate ran into opposition from distributor Universal Pictures over his short-program music from the “Minions” soundtrack, but secured approval shortly before the competition. The International Skating Union said it is working with major record labels to help athletes use music without copyright problems.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-18 20:12:00
  • South Korea’s Jeong Seung-gi, Hong Su-jeong finish 11th in Olympic mixed team skeleton
    South Korea’s Jeong Seung-gi, Hong Su-jeong finish 11th in Olympic mixed team skeleton South Korea’s Jeong Seung-gi (27, Gangwon Provincial Office) and Hong Su-jeong (25, Gyeonggi Sports Association) placed 11th in the Olympic mixed team skeleton event, which was introduced at these Games. Jeong and Hong posted a combined time of 2 minutes, 1.45 seconds on Feb. 16 (Korea time) at the Cortina Sliding Center in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, finishing 11th among 15 teams in the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. In the mixed team event, the women’s run is followed by the men’s run, with the two times added for the final standings. Hong led off with a 0.13-second start reaction time, the fastest among the women. She lost speed after hitting the wall on the second curve but otherwise completed a clean run in 1:01.84. Jeong followed with a 0.19-second start reaction and stayed steady through the third curve, but his sled slowed in the later section. He finished in 59.61 seconds. South Korea’s total was 2.09 seconds behind gold medalists Britain — Tabitha Stoecker and Matt Weston — who won in 1:59.36. Hong wore a tiger-themed helmet and Jeong wore one inspired by a turtle ship. After the race, they bowed deeply toward the broadcast camera to mark the Lunar New Year holiday. The result wrapped up South Korea’s skeleton schedule at the Games. In the earlier individual events, Hong placed 22nd in the women’s race, while Jeong and Kim Ji-su (32, Gangwon Provincial Office) finished 10th and 16th in the men’s race, respectively.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 04:33:00
  • Kim Min-seon, Lee Na-hyeon miss medals in women’s 500m speedskating at Milan Olympics
    Kim Min-seon, Lee Na-hyeon miss medals in women’s 500m speedskating at Milan Olympics South Korea’s top women’s sprint speedskater, Kim Min-seon (Uijeongbu City Hall), and rising prospect Lee Na-hyeon (Korea National Sport University) came up short in their signature 500 meters at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Kim finished 14th with 38.01 on Feb. 16 (Korea time) at the Milan speedskating stadium in Italy. Lee placed 10th in 37.86. It was Kim’s third Olympic appearance after placing 16th at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and seventh at the 2022 Beijing Games. She had shown world-class form, including finishing No. 1 in the 2022-23 World Cup rankings and winning two titles at the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games, but did not reach the Olympic podium. Starting on the inside in the 10th pair, Kim passed 100 meters in 10.61 but could not generate her usual speed on the backstretch in the outside lane and crossed in the 38-second range. In her Olympic debut, Lee broke into the top 10. Skating from the inside in the 13th pair, she covered the first 100 meters in 10.47 and held her pace through the finish for 37.86. Femke Kok of the Netherlands won gold in an Olympic-record 36.49. Dutch teammate Jutta Leerdam took silver in 37.15, and Miho Takagi of Japan won bronze in 37.27.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-16 02:06:00