Journalist
Jang Sun-a
sunrise@ajunews.com
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Stars Chase Winter Olympics Record of Eight Gold Medals at Milan-Cortina Games As the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics get underway, attention is turning to star athletes chasing the all-time record for most Olympic gold medals in Winter Games history. The Winter Olympics gold-medal record is eight, held by biathlon great Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and cross-country skiers Bjoern Daehlie and Marit Bjoergen, all of Norway. Bjoerndalen also owns the Winter Olympics record for most total medals with 15. Several active athletes are aiming at those marks. Norway’s Johannes Klaebo is considered a leading contender. He won five gold medals at the 2018 Pyeongchang and 2022 Beijing Games and is entered in six events this time, seeking both multiple titles and a record. He also backed up his form by winning six golds at last year’s world championships. Germany’s Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt, who compete in men’s doubles luge, are also in the hunt. Across Sochi, Pyeongchang and Beijing, they swept men’s doubles and the team relay, giving each athlete six Olympic gold medals. They will try for a fourth straight Olympics with two golds and a share of the all-time record. Other athletes are chasing sport-specific milestones. China’s Gu Ailing is aiming to become the first freestyle skier to win a fourth Olympic medal. At the Beijing Games, she won two golds and a silver. In snowboarding, Chloe Kim of the United States (halfpipe) and Austria’s Anna Gasser (big air) are each trying to become the first in their events to win three straight Olympic titles. In bobsled, Germany’s Francesco Friedrich is seeking a third consecutive double in the two-man and four-man events. American Kaillie Humphries, competing in her fifth Olympics, is also chasing a record, aiming to break the mark for most women’s bobsled gold medals, currently four. Among South Korean athletes, short-track speed skater Choi Min-jeong (Seongnam City Hall) is viewed as a record contender. She has three Olympic gold medals and two silvers. If she adds another gold, she will tie Chun Lee-kyung for the most Winter Olympics gold medals by a South Korean athlete with four. If she wins two more medals of any color, she would surpass the South Korean record for most total Olympic medals across Summer and Winter Games, currently six and jointly held by Jin Jong-oh, Kim Soo-nyung and Lee Seung-hoon. 2026-02-08 18:42:00 -
Ilia Malinin Lands Backflip at 2026 Milan Olympics After Ban Lifted A figure skating backflip, long treated as taboo on the Olympic stage, returned after nearly 50 years when American Ilia Malinin landed one without penalty, drawing a loud reaction from the crowd. Malinin completed the backflip late in his program in the men’s singles short program of the figure skating team event at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics at the Milan Ice Skating Arena in Italy, according to the report. The backflip had been effectively barred for decades. After American Terry Kubicka first attempted it at the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympics, the International Skating Union banned the move starting the following year, citing athlete safety and injury risk. After that, skaters were assessed a two-point deduction whether or not they landed it. At the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, France’s Surya Bonaly drew attention by attempting a backflip while accepting the deduction as a protest over judging. The report said Bonaly, then among the world’s top skaters, alleged discriminatory judging and left the Olympic stage after that performance. With the sport placing more emphasis on expression and spectacle, the ISU lifted the backflip ban in 2024. Malinin became the first skater to land a backflip at the Olympics without a deduction since the rule change. Malinin scored 98.00 points, combining technical and program components, to place second behind Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama, who scored 108.67. The backflip itself did not earn a separate bonus. Afterward, Malinin said, “The crowd cheered so loudly it was uncontrollable,” adding, “It was a moment when I felt the weight of the Olympic stage and gratitude.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-08 16:27:00 -
First Gold at Milan-Cortina Olympics to Be Decided in Men’s Downhill or Women’s Skiathlon 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics will move quickly from opening ceremonies to the first race for gold. The first gold medal is expected to come from a snow event on Feb. 7 (Korea time). It will be awarded to the winner of whichever finishes first between the men’s alpine downhill, scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the women’s cross-country 10-kilometer plus 10-kilometer skiathlon, which starts at 9 p.m. At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Norway’s Therese Johaug won the first gold in the women’s skiathlon. The men’s downhill will be held at the Stelvio Ski Center in Bormio, Italy, in the Valtellina cluster. The women’s skiathlon will take place at the Tesero Cross-Country Ski Stadium in the Val di Fiemme cluster. Both venues are more than 200 kilometers from Milan. No South Korean athletes will compete in the men’s downhill. South Korea will be represented in the women’s skiathlon by Lee Eui Jin of the Busan Metropolitan City Sports Council and Han Da Som of Gyeonggi Provincial Government. Han is making her second Olympic appearance after Beijing, while Lee is competing at her first Olympics. The skiathlon combines classic and freestyle techniques, with athletes racing half the distance in each style. European teams such as Norway and Sweden have traditionally been strong in the event. In Beijing, Lee Chae Won finished 61st, and Han did not finish.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-07 08:00:00 -
Vance Booed at Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony; Ukraine Team Cheered U.S. Vice President JD Vance was loudly booed by some spectators during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics. On Thursday (local time) at San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Vance stood and applauded as the U.S. delegation entered. When he appeared on the stadium’s big screen, boos rose from parts of the crowd. The reaction appeared tied to political tensions between the United States and Europe, as well as recent controversy over plans to deploy some U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in connection with the Olympics. Protests had also been held in Milan after reports that the United States planned to send some ICE agents during the Winter Games. Before the ceremony, International Olympic Committee member Kirsty Coventry appealed for respect, saying she hoped the opening ceremony would be a place where people “respect each other.” Some spectators’ response during the event differed. Foreign media quickly reported the incident. Reuters said that when Vance appeared on the big screen waving a U.S. flag, spectators booed. By contrast, the Ukrainian delegation was met with loud cheers as it entered the stadium. 2026-02-07 07:42:00 -
South Korea Marches in Milan-Cortina Opening Ceremony, Aiming for Top-10 Finish South Korea’s team, aiming for a top-10 finish in the overall standings at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, marched in the opening ceremony parade. In the athlete parade held across multiple sites centered on Milan’s San Siro Olympic Stadium, South Korea appeared 22nd among 92 National Olympic Committees, according to the organizing committee. Figure skater Cha Jun Hwan (Seoul City Hall) and long-distance speed skater Park Ji Woo (Gangwon Provincial Office), serving as co-flag bearers, led the delegation with the South Korean flag. Smiling, they waved to the stands as athletes raised flags and phones to capture the moment. “It’s a great honor and I’m grateful, because it’s a moment representing our country,” Cha said in comments released through the organizing committee. “I wanted to share positive energy with the team. I hope everyone can fully enjoy the Olympics, a dream stage.” Park said she hoped younger athletes would “enjoy the Olympics, have fun and make great memories.” With venues split into four zones, the parade was also held simultaneously in several locations. South Korea had 50 participants in the opening ceremony, divided among the four sites. In Livigno, about 200 kilometers from Milan, snowboard and freestyle ski athletes entered with a dynamic performance. In Predazzo, the cross-country team appeared against a snowy backdrop, waving the South Korean flag. In Cortina d’Ampezzo, sliding sports and biathlon athletes marched together. Women’s skeleton athlete Hong Su Jeong rode on a teammate’s shoulders as she lifted the country placard to signal Team Korea’s entrance. The entry order was set by the host nation’s Italian alphabet system. South Korea was listed under “Corea,” from its Italian name “Repubblica di Corea,” placing it between Colombia and Croatia. About 3,500 athletes are competing for 116 gold medals at the Games. South Korea’s delegation totals 130, including 71 athletes in six sports and 59 officials, with a goal of at least three gold medals and a top-10 overall finish. 2026-02-07 05:48:00 -
Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics Open With Dual-City Flame Lighting The 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics opened under the theme of “harmony and unity,” marking the first Winter Games staged under a multi-host system. The 25th Winter Olympics began its official schedule with an opening ceremony held early Friday (Korea time) at San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan. The ceremony was staged simultaneously in multiple locations, including San Siro and Piazza Dibona in Cortina d'Ampezzo. The format reflected an operating plan aimed at minimizing new construction and emphasizing sustainability, with events spread across six zones including Milan and Cortina. With Milan hosting ice events and Cortina hosting skiing and curling, the two hubs are more than 400 kilometers (about 250 miles) apart, making it difficult for delegations to gather in one place. Organizers designed the opening as a multi-stage production. Olympic cauldrons were installed at Milan’s Arco della Pace and at Piazza Dibona in Cortina. It was the first time two cities shared the official Olympic name and the first time two cauldrons were lit at the same time. The organizing committee titled the ceremony “Armonia,” the Italian word for “harmony.” The show opened with a performance inspired by the work of 16th-century sculptor Antonio Canova, using a dance reinterpretation of the myth of Cupid and Psyche to convey the theme. Performers then portrayed Italian opera composers Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini and Gioachino Rossini, joined by dancers in music-note-themed costumes. A giant paint-tube prop descended to underscore art and harmony. A character parade evoking ancient Rome and the Renaissance followed, and pop star Mariah Carey performed her hits. After Italian President Sergio Mattarella and International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry entered, the ceremony included a tribute to fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who died in September. Models wearing Armani designs filled the stadium in the colors of the Italian flag. Model Vittoria Ceretti carried the flag in Milan for the raising, while former national team cross-country skiers took part in the flag-raising at the Cortina venue. After the performances, athletes from 92 countries marched in. The parade of nations took place at the same time at San Siro in Milan and at sites including Cortina’s central square, the Livigno Snow Park and the Predazzo ski jump stadium. South Korea entered 22nd, led by co-flag bearers Cha Jun Hwan (figure skating, Seoul City Hall) and Park Ji Woo (speedskating, Gangwon Provincial Government). Host Italy entered last, using four flag bearers — two in each city. Following Mattarella’s declaration opening the Games, a torch relay segment was staged with a performance by tenor Andrea Bocelli. Ten people served as Olympic flag bearers, including Pita Taufatofua, known as the “Tongan strongman.” In Milan, Eliud Kipchoge, Cindy Ngamba, Filippo Grandi, Nicolo Govoni, Mariam Bukha Hassan, Rebeca Andrade and Akiba Tadatohi carried the Olympic flag. In Cortina, Franco Nones and Martina Valcepina took part. After the athletes’ oath, the two cauldrons were lit simultaneously by the final torchbearers. The cauldrons were spherical structures inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s “Knots.” The Games run through the 22nd, with 116 gold medals to be awarded across eight sports and 16 disciplines. 2026-02-07 04:36:00 -
South Korea to Run Meal Support Centers for 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympians The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee will run on-site meal support centers in Italy to help manage the condition of South Korea’s athletes competing at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics. The committee said it will operate centers from Feb. 6-22 in three areas — Milan, Cortina and Livigno — providing customized menus for the team. The goal is to reliably supply Korean meals and recovery-focused food amid repeated training and competition schedules to support performance. Reflecting that venues are spread across multiple locations, the committee is setting up and running meal support centers in all three areas. It said this is the first time a Winter Olympics meal support program has been split by venue clusters, strengthening on-site support compared with the previous Games. The committee said it is spending 2.2 billion won to dispatch 36 staff members — 15 to Milan, 12 to Cortina and nine to Livigno — and to provide Korean lunch boxes to 130 athletes. It is also introducing heat-retaining “self-heating lunch boxes” for the first time, citing cold weather and many mountain venues. Lunch box deliveries began Feb. 6 through the three centers. Committee President Yoo Seung-min visited the Milan center at 10:30 a.m. local time on Feb. 6, took part in preparing the first lunch boxes and checked operations. “As our team is entering the full race, I joined the preparation of the first Korean lunch boxes with the mindset of supporting them directly,” Yoo said. “I hope our athletes eat these carefully prepared meals, gain strength and deliver strong performances.” The lunch boxes provided to the team that day totaled 182 meals: 91 lunches and 91 dinners. For both lunch and dinner, 45 meals went to Milan, 23 to Livigno and 23 to Cortina. The committee said all athletes in the three areas applied in advance, and daily quantities may be adjusted depending on operating conditions such as the team’s arrival and departure schedules. 2026-02-07 00:51:00 -
Strong dollar pressures Korea's FX reserves, down for 2nd month SEOUL, February 04 (AJP) - South Korea’s foreign exchange reserves fell by more than $2 billion in January, extending a decline for a second consecutive month as the won remained weak against the U.S. dollar. The Bank of Korea said Wednesday that reserves stood at $425.91 billion at the end of January, down $2.15 billion from $428.05 billion a month earlier. Holdings of securities, including government and corporate bonds, rose $6.39 billion to $377.52 billion. However, deposits dropped $8.55 billion to $23.32 billion. Special drawing rights allocated by the International Monetary Fund remained unchanged at $15.89 billion, while gold holdings were also steady at $4.79 billion, as they are recorded at purchase price rather than market value. A Bank of Korea official said deposits typically increase at quarter-end or year-end as financial institutions adjust balance sheets to meet regulatory ratios. This time, however, overall deposits declined despite an increase in foreign-currency deposits at financial institutions. The official added that market-stabilization operations, including foreign exchange swaps and reserve requirement management, appeared to have influenced the overall reserve level. South Korea ranked ninth globally in foreign exchange reserves as of the end of December, with holdings of $428.1 billion. China held the largest reserves at $3.36 trillion, followed by Japan with $1.37 trillion and Switzerland with $1.08 trillion. Other countries ahead of South Korea included Russia, India, Taiwan, Germany and Saudi Arabia, according to central bank data. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-02-04 08:18:31 -
Resident FX deposits in Korea jumped nearly $16 bln in December SEOUL, January 26 (AJP) -Foreign-currency deposits at South Korea-based banks surged by nearly $16 billion in December on prolonged weakness in the Korean won, central bank data showed. The Bank of Korea said Monday that resident foreign-currency deposits at local foreign-exchange banks totaled $119.43 billion at the end of December, up $15.88 billion from the previous month. It marked the second consecutive monthly increase. Resident foreign-currency deposits include holdings by South Korean individuals and companies, foreigners who have lived in South Korea for at least six months, and foreign companies operating in the country. By currency, U.S. dollar deposits climbed $8.34 billion to $95.93 billion, while euro deposits rose $6.35 billion to $11.75 billion. Japanese yen deposits increased by $870 million to $9.0 billion. A Bank of Korea official said dollar deposits expanded as funds flowed into banks for multiple purposes, including about $2.0 billion related to foreigners’ purchases of equity stakes in South Korean companies, current-account settlements by exporters and importers, and investor funds held by securities firms. Euro deposits rose as foreign-affiliated companies placed funds tied to current-account payments due early in the year, including proceeds from discounting foreign-currency sales receivables, the official said. Yen deposits increased mainly due to investor deposits at securities firms. By depositor type, corporate foreign-currency deposits jumped $14.07 billion to $102.5 billion, while individual deposits rose $1.82 billion to $16.93 billion. By bank type, deposits at domestic banks increased $12.76 billion to $101.6 billion, while those at local branches of foreign banks rose $3.13 billion to $17.83 billion. 2026-01-26 13:07:57 -
Roaring stock market lifts Korean consumer confidence despite weak real economy SEOUL, January 23 (AJP)-South Koreans grew more optimistic about the economy and their spending plans in January, buoyed by a surging stock market despite continued weakness in real economic conditions from a weak won and strong prices. According to the Bank of Korea on Friday, the Consumer Sentiment Index rose 1.0 point from the previous month to 110.8 in January, supported by the strongest spending bias in five months. A reading above 100 indicates sentiment more optimistic than the long-term average for the 2003–2024 period, while a reading below 100 signals pessimism. Among the six sub-indicators, the outlook for the overall economy rose 2 points to 98. Current living conditions edged up 1 point to 96, the outlook for consumer spending increased 1 point to 111 - highest in five months, and the assessment of current economic conditions also rose 1 point to 90. The outlook for living conditions remained unchanged at 100, while expectations for household income held steady at 103. Lee Hye-young, head of the BOK’s economic sentiment survey team, attributed the improvement in sentiment largely to the record-setting stock market. The benchmark KOSPI has been flirting with the 5,000 mark after an almost uninterrupted rally over the past month. “Rising stock prices influenced multiple indicators, including living conditions, household savings and the outlook for consumer spending,” Lee said. She added that higher investment income from stocks and funds appeared to improve perceptions of household finances, while some respondents interpreted the market rally itself as a signal of broader economic improvement. Lee noted that the weak won had little impact on sentiment this month, adding that authorities’ efforts to stabilize the dollar toward year-end helped limit concerns. The housing price outlook index, which measures expectations for home prices a year ahead, rose 3 points to 124 — the highest level since October 2021 — as apartment sale prices continued to climb nationwide and across the Seoul metropolitan area. The increase suggests expectations for further gains in home prices have strengthened, Lee said. Expected inflation for the year ahead remained unchanged at 2.6 percent, while perceived inflation over the past year was steady at 2.9 percent 2026-01-23 07:44:02