[Feature] Korean men’s ice hockey team ‘confident’ to take on competition at Olympics

JINCHEON, North Chungcheong Province/SEOUL -- Sounds of hockey sticks, pucks slinging into the net and skates against the ice filled the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, where Korea’s national men’s ice hockey team assembled early in the morning on Jan. 24. The team was warming up before heading off to the pre-Olympics welcoming ceremony later in the day. The women’s national ice hockey team was also scheduled to join. In contrast to controversy surround

Jan. 31, 2018

IOC President Bach defends decision to ban Russian athletes

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Tuesday defended a decision to ban Russian athletes from the 2018 Winter Olympics.The IOC has suspended the Russian Olympic Committee over rampant doping and is only allowing clean athletes to compete as neutrals, each formally called an "Olympic Athlete from Russia." Last weekend, the IOC cleared 169 athletes for the Feb. 9-25 PyeongChang Winter Games.Among those not cleared is Seoul-born short track speed skater Victor An, who has claime

Jan. 30, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Seoul virtually co-hosting venue of Olympics: Mayor Park

Seoul is virtually a co-hosting venue of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics slated for next month as all athletes, delegates, officials and tourists from around the world will “stay or pass through” the capital city during the games, the city’s Mayor Park Won-soon said during a press conference for the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club on Tuesday.“Seoul designated 52 days from Jan. 26 as special welcoming days and released five special support packages during the period (for foreign visitors)

Jan. 30, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] PyeongChang athletes village to open this week

With the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games just 10 days away, its two athletes' villages will open later this week for thousands of participants attending the multi-sports event, the games' organizing committee said Tuesday.The official opening ceremonies will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday -- one at PyeongChang and one at Gangneung -- according to the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. (Yonhap)There are two villages for the 2018 Winter Games. The Py

Jan. 30, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Korean-American athletes in spotlight

While nearly 3,000 athletes from 95 nations are scheduled to visit South Korea for the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympics, this year has a personal significance for some athletes from the US. For Chloe Kim, a 17-year-old snowboarder from Torrance, California, South Korea is where her parents are from. Many of her relatives, including her grandmother, still live in South Korea. Kim, who became the first person under the age of 16 to win three gold medals at an X Games back in 2016, is making he

Jan. 30, 2018

[Newsmaker] Scandal sheds light on skating union's mistreatment

South Korea’s speed skater Noh Seon-yeong had one of the most dramatic weeks of her life. The 28-year-old, who had initially been selected to represent South Korea in the women’s team at the PyeongChang Olympics, was only told last week that an administrative error by the Korea Skating Union had cost her her spot on the team.Heartbroken, she openly spoke out against the KSU through her social media account, saying she “no longer was proud” to represent her country. On Friday, however, two Russia

Jan. 30, 2018

[Graphic News] PyeongChang to host largest Winter Olympics in history

　According to the PyeongChang Organizing Committee, 2,925 athletes from 92 countries have registered to compete in the Olympics, marking the biggest number of athletes in history. 　The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics had been the largest with 2,858 athletes from 88 nations.　South Korea will have a record 144 athletes competing in all 15 sports at the games. 　The US has the largest team for the games, with 242 athletes, followed by Canada with 226.　Meanwhile, North Korea will have 22 athletes in five

Jan. 30, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Joint Korean women's hockey team to move to athletes' village ahead of schedule

The joint Korean women's ice hockey team will move into athletes' residences for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics ahead of schedule, the sport's South Korean governing body said Tuesday.The unified team, coached by South Korea bench boss Sarah Murray, is set to take on Sweden in its only pre-Olympics tuneup match at 6 p.m. Sunday in Incheon, just west of Seoul. The 35 players had initially been scheduled to enter Gangneung Olympic Village, one of two athletes' living quarters for the Olympics, th

Jan. 30, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] S. Korea preparing for joint ski training in N. Korea: official

South Korea is preparing for joint skiing training with North Korea at a ski resort in the North as earlier agreed as Pyongyang has not said anything unusual following its cancellation of a planned cultural event, Seoul officials said Tuesday. North Korea's abrupt cancellation late Monday of a joint performance slated for Sunday at Mount Kumgang has raised questions about whether scheduled joint skiing exercises or even the North's participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics will proceed as

Jan. 30, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] IOC to hold key meetings in PyeongChang

PYEONGCHANG -- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will hold a series of key meetings prior to and during the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.The IOC announced on Tuesday schedules for its Executive Board meeting and the 132nd IOC Session. PyeongChang will host these meetings, as is the custom for all Olympic host cities.The board meeting is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the International Broadcasting Centre (IBC). During the first day, international sports federations for both

Jan. 30, 2018

Korean alpine skier files court injunction to suspend sports body's national team selection

PYEONGCHANG -- Korea's alpine skier Kyung Sung-hyun filed a court injunction on Monday against the Korea Ski Association to suspend its national team selection, sources said. Last week, the KSA announced a list of four alpine skiers -- two men and two women -- for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. On the men's side, the KSA selected Jung Dong-hyun, who specializes in the technical events of slalom and giant slalom, and Kim Dong-woo, who competes in the speed events of downhill and super-G. 

Jan. 29, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Figure skater says she is pain-free ahead of PyeongChang Olympics

South Korean figure skater Choi Da-bin declared herself pain-free on Sunday, with the PyeongChang Winter Olympics just days away.Choi returned home from Taiwan, where she posted a new season-best score of 190.23 points to finish fourth at the International Skating Union Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.The encouraging showing came on the heels of some subpar performances, as Choi has been battling ankle problems caused by a pair of loose skate boots. (Yonhap)"I have been struggling a

Jan. 28, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Joint Korean women's hockey team has first practice together

The joint Korean women's ice hockey team, assembled for the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympics, had their first practice session together Sunday.Following the recent inter-Korean agreement and a stamp of approval from the International Olympic Committee, the two Koreas have put together a unified team of 35 players for the Olympics -- 12 North Koreans have joined 23 South Koreans. (Yonhap)South Korea's head coach, Sarah Murray, is in charge, while North Korea has also sent its own coach, Pak C

Jan. 28, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Jamaica among 1st nations to move into PyeongChang Olympic Village

Jamaica, led by a trailblazing women's bobsleigh team, will be among the first nations to move into the athletes' living quarters for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, officials said Sunday.According to PyeongChang's organizing committee, Jamaica will be joined by Brazil, Romania and Belgium for the very first welcoming ceremony at PyeongChang Olympic Village at 1 p.m. on Feb. 5. The committee said the athletes will start arriving in the Olympic host city on Wednesday. (Yonhap)There are two

Jan. 28, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] S. Korean alpine skiing team controversy spills into court

The controversy surrounding the South Korean Olympic alpine skiing team selection will spill into court, a source revealed Sunday.The source, who is close to alpine skier Kyung Sung-hyun, said the athlete will file a court injunction against the Korea Ski Association on Monday to suspend its national team selection committee.The KSA announced a list of four alpine skiers -- two men and two women -- for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics on Wednesday.The KSA had picked nine skiers for a trainin

Jan. 28, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] PyeongChang 2018 certain to be largest Winter Olympics in history

The 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games are certain to be the largest Winter Olympics in history in terms of participating nations and athletes, with the deadline to confirm entries fast approaching, organizing officials said Sunday.According to the organizing committee, nearly 3,000 athletes from 95 nations have registered to compete at the Feb. 9-25 Olympics. The deadline to finalize entries is 6 a.m. Monday South Korean time."The exact numbers of nations and athletes will be determined on Monday, b

Jan. 28, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] S. Korean alpine skier aims high in his 3rd Olympics

For South Korean alpine skier Jung Dong-hyun, the Winter Olympic Games of the past only bring sad memories.Jung has established himself as the top Asian alpine skier after winning gold medals from two consecutive Asian Winter Games.The 29-year-old, who began skiing at the age of three, started competing internationally in 2004.Jung, however, hasn't had much luck with the Olympic Games.Jung was able to compete at the 2006 Torino Olympics, but later had to give up his opportunity after he didn't a

Jan. 28, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] IOC confirms Russian athletes eligible for PyeongChang

The International Olympic Committee cleared 169 Russian athletes Sunday to compete at the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympics, although the list likely doesn't include Korean-born short track star Victor An.In December, the IOC banned Russia from PyeongChang 2018 for state-sponsored doping and said it would only allow clean athletes to compete as neutrals, each formally referred to as an "Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR).""Following a detailed and comprehensive invitation process, the IOC conf

Jan. 28, 2018

Korea Skating Union expels coach for beating short tracker Shim

The Korea Skating Union said Thursday that it has decided to permanently expel a coach for beating Olympic short track speed skating champion Shim Suk-hee.The skating authorities convened an independent disciplinary committee of eight experts to make a decision on the coach, whose name has been withheld from the media. (Yonhap)“We have decided on the heavy punishment of permanent expulsion after we discussed the gravity of the issue following statements from the attacker,” Kim Sang-kyum, the cha

Jan. 25, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Viktor Ahn unhappy with Olympic ban

Russia’s Viktor Ahn, one of most decorated Olympic short track speedskaters, expressed strong dissatisfaction over the International Olympic Committee’s recent decision to bar him from competing at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games in his native South Korea, according to Russia’s local broadcasting company Match TV on Wednesday. Short track speedskater Viktor Ahn. YonhapThe six-time Olympic champion, 32, Tuesday left the team meeting room without a word, shortly after he heard that the IOC exclu

Jan. 25, 2018