President Lee Jae Myung congratulated South Korean snowboarder Kim Sang-gyeom after Kim won the nation’s first medal of the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics.
In a message posted Monday on social media, Lee said South Korea’s first medal of the Games had been secured and offered his congratulations to Kim for taking silver in the men’s parallel giant slalom.
Lee said Kim had spent years training for races decided by fractions of a second, refining his technique and tuning his equipment on harsh snow. He added that Kim reached the Olympic podium on his fourth attempt since the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
Lee called the result especially meaningful because it was South Korea’s 400th Olympic medal. He also said it was the country’s second silver medal in snow events, showing South Korea are becoming competitive beyond ice sports.
On Sunday in South Korea, Kim won silver at the Livigno Snow Park in Italy, finishing 0.19 seconds behind Benjamin Karl of Austria in the final.
It was South Korea’s first medal of the Games and the country’s second Olympic medal in skiing and snowboarding, the first in eight years.
Lee said Kim’s medal would give the entire South Korean team courage and confidence as more athletes compete. He added that he would join the public in cheering for South Korea through the final day of the Olympics.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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