[PyeongChang 2018] Reported doping may affect Russian athletes' flag at Olympics ceremony

A reported doping case involving a Russian athlete could affect whether or not his team will march behind the Russian flag at the closing ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.Russian media reported that traces of the banned substance meldonium were found in the A-sample of Russian curler Alexander Krushelnitsky, who won a bronze medal in the mixed doubles event. The result of the B-sample test is set to come out later in the day. Alexander Krushelnitsky in front (Yonhap)The International

Feb. 19, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Norway’s curling team sweeps in ‘crazy’ style

Since the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the Norwegian men’s curlers have stayed true to the tradition of sweeping down the arena ice in flashy pants, doing so once again at the Winter Games in PyeongChang. From floral prints to seemingly art-inspired patterns, the team has showcased a whole array of made-to-order designs provided by team sponsor Loudmouth. Norway’s ensemble stands as a stark contrast to the other teams’ usual black trousers. On Valentine’s Day, Norway did not disappoint fan

Feb. 19, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Figure skating coach Brian Orser wears 3 outfits, sees 2 medals in one match

Figure skating coach Brian Orser and his ‘costume changes’ are in the spotlight as three of the athletes he coached performed in the same event on Saturday.South Korean figure skating star Cha Jun-hwan, Japan’s gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu and Javier Fernandez from Spain competed at the men single free skating event held on Saturday at Gangneung Ice Arena. All three figure skaters are coached by Orser, which led the coach to change his outfit between intervals to match the skater who is performing

Feb. 19, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Korea's ice dance team places 16th in short dance

GANGNEUNG, South Korea -- South Korea's ice dance team of Min Yu-ra and Alexander Gamelin on Monday performed a clean short dance to grab a ticket to the free dance at the ongoing PyeongChang Winter Olympics.The duo scored 61.22 points to rank 16th in the short dance at Gangneung Ice Arena with the 17-day Winter Games entering its last phase.It was slightly behind their best score of 61.97 set last year but much higher than the 51.97 points they earned in the team event last week as Min struggle

Feb. 19, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Joint hockey team coach in for emotional farewell with NK players

GANGNEUNG -- Sarah Murray, head coach of the unified Korean women's hockey team, isn't usually one to show emotions. But she thinks she will shed tears when she has to bid farewell to the 12 players from North Korea at the end of the ongoing PyeongChang Winter Olympics.The team of 23 South Korean players and 12 North Koreans was assembled only on Jan. 25, but over the past few weeks, Murray said the players have bonded like "a family." Murray has also developed a strong rapport with North Korean

Feb. 19, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] World hockey body to consider keeping joint Korean team for next Olympics

GANGNEUNG, South Korea -- The global governing body of ice hockey said Monday it will consider keeping the joint Korean women's team for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.Rene Fasel, president of the International Ice Hockey Federation, said at a press conference that he feels "very, very happy" about how the unified team has come together to represent peace at the ongoing PyeongChang Winter Olympics.Asked if the IIHF will try to keep the two Koreas together in women's hockey, Fasel said, "Why

Feb. 19, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Korea female curling team beats Sweden

GANGNEUNG -- Korea's female curling team extended its unexpected winning streak by beating Sweden on Monday at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.During the thrilling round robin match in the sub-host city of Gangneung, Korea defeated Sweden 7-6, taking a step closer to the semifinals.Sweden took the lead against Korea in the first end, but the host country immediately caught up in the next end. The four-member Korean team of Kim Eun-jung, Kim Kyeong-ae, Kim Seon-yeong, and Kim Yeong-mi further nar

Feb. 19, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] S. Korea eyes gold in 3,000m women's short track relay finals

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province -- South Korea will try to add a gold to its medal count when female speed skaters compete in the 3,000m short track relay finals on Tuesday. The joint Korean women's hockey team is also preparing to bow out with grace in its final match of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.Shim Suk-hee, Lee Yu-bin, Kim Ye-jin and Choi Min-jeong will compete in the women's 3,000m short track speed skating relay finals at Gangneung Ice Arena in the sub-host city of Gangneung. Choi won

Feb. 19, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Korea braces for do-or-die men's hockey match vs. Finland

GANGNEUNG -- After losing all three preliminary games in men's hockey at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Korea will now face a do-or-die match against Finland in the qualification playoffs, with a quarterfinal berth at stake.And the players have said they know they have an uphill battle against the team that beat them two months ago.Korea, No. 21 in the world, suffered a 4-0 loss against world No. 1 Canada on Sunday. It came on the heels of a 2-1 loss to the Czech Republic and an 8-0 drubbing a

Feb. 19, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Unified Korean hockey team rounds into form with time running out

GANGNEUNG, South Korea -- The unified Korean hockey team appears to be rounding into form at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics after submitting strong efforts in back-to-back games.Unfortunately, there is only one game left for the team of 23 South Koreans and 12 North Koreans.Korea fell to Switzerland 2-0 in the first classification match at Kwandong Hockey Centre on Sunday. Sixth-ranked Switzerland defeated Korea 8-0 in their first Group B game only eight days earlier, but Korea was a vastly dif

Feb. 19, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] S. Korea falls to Canada for 3rd straight loss in men's hockey

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province -- South Korea fell to world No. 1 Canada 4-0 for its third straight loss in the men's hockey tournament at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics on Sunday.Christian Thomas, Eric O'Dell, Maxim Lapierre and Gilbert Brule scored a goal apiece early for Canada at Gangneung Hockey Centre, as South Korea wrapped up its Group A play with three losses. The team scored one goal and allowed 14. Canada, in pursuit of its third straight gold, advanced directly to the quarterfinals. So

Feb. 19, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Speedskater Lee Sang-hwa wins silver in 500 meters

South Korean speedskater Lee Sang-hwa on Sunday won silver in the women’s 500 meters. At her fourth Olympics, Lee finished the race at 37.33 to capture silver. The sprinter holds the world record in the distance at 36.36.Nao Kodaira captured gold with a new Olympic record of 36.94 in the 500m race to beat Lee's previous Sochi record of 37.28.Lee had been going for her third consecutive Olympic gold in the discipline, which would have made her only the second female speedskater to do so. (Yonhap)

Feb. 18, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Joint Korean team to face Sweden in final match

The joint Korean women's hockey team will face Sweden for its final game of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics on Tuesday.Sweden dropped to the seventh-place match against Korea after losing to Japan 2-1 in overtime on Sunday in their classification match at Kwandong Hockey Centre in Gangneung. Ayaka Toko scored the game-winner 3:16 into the extra period. Joint Korean team loses to Switzerland (Yonhap)Earlier in the day, Korea lost to Switzerland 2-0 to be relegated to the seventh-place game.This w

Feb. 18, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Ticket sales for PyeongChang Games reach 94% of target

Around 94 percent of tickets for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games have been sold, as the Olympics hit its halfway point.Sung Baik-you, spokesperson for the PyeongChang Organizing Committee, said at a press conference held at the Main Press Center in PyeongChang on Sunday that approximately 1 million tickets have been sold as of Saturday evening.This accounts for 94 percent of the target sales, which is 1,068,000 tickets. Crowds fill the stands at Kwandong Hockey Center in Gangneung on Monday, w

Feb. 18, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Want to grab that adorable stuffed Soohorang? Alas, they’re sold out online

While global visitors may want to take home their own souvenirs of the lovable PyeongChang Winter Olympics mascot Soohorang, it may become harder to procure the stuffed tigers as they are sold out in most online shops.A wide array of products were originally available, featuring the round-faced white tiger wearing Korean traditional costume, riding sleds, perched atop headbands, hanging from keychains and emblazoned on fluffy blankets. However, the official online store has sold out of nearly al

Feb. 18, 2018

[Graphic News] Winter Olympic Games: Curling

　Three gold medals are up for grabs in curling at the 2018 PyeongChang Games: men’s team, women’s team and mixed doubles. 　A curling team is composed of two or four athletes, and each team takes turns launching the nearly 20-kilogram curling stone. When the curling stone is thrown, athletes follow the movement of the stone and sweep the ice surface using brooms to control the direction and speed of the stone. Having started from the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, mixed doubles have been introduced

Feb. 18, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] S. Korean Olympic committee under fire over alleged verbal abuse

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province -- South Korea's national Olympic committee has come under fire over alleged verbal abuse towards a volunteer worker at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.According the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, its president Lee Kee-heung visited Alpensia Cross-Country Centre on Thursday to encourage South Korean athletes competing in a cross-country event that day. According to KSOC and witness accounts on social media, Lee, along with aides, sat in seats reserved for those f

Feb. 18, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Short track champion expresses gratitude for Moon's visit

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province -- Short tracker Choi Min-jeong, who captured the female team's first gold at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, on Sunday expressed gratitude to President Moon Jae-in for visiting the skating venue on the previous day."Dear president, athletes were boosted by your support and visit (to the rink) despite your busy schedule," Choi said through her Instagram. The skater captured gold on Saturday in the women's 1,500m race."I was able to overcome frustration and stand up a

Feb. 18, 2018

[Photo News] N. Korean cheerleaders in limelight at men’s giant slalom

North Korean cheerleaders showed up at the men’s giant slalom games held at Yongpyong Alpine Center on Sunday, drawing the attention of spectators and reporters at the venue. The cheerleaders sported sunglasses while cheering for North Korean alpine skiers who competed at the games. The cheerleading squad was seen holding both the Korean Unification Flag and the flag of North Korea.  North Korean cheerleaders wear sunglasses at the men’s giant slalom games that started Sunday at 10:15 a.m. Cheer

Feb. 18, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] S. Korea's female curling team grabs 4th victory

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province -- South Korea's female curling team on Sunday achieved its fourth victory by beating China, approaching closer to the semifinals of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.The four-member South Korean team of Kim Eun-jung, Kim Kyeong-ae, Kim Seon-yeong and Kim Yeong-mi won 12-5 against China in the competition at the Gangneung Curling Centre.The South Korean team has posted four victories and one loss. After the round-robin competition of 10 participating nations, four teams

Feb. 18, 2018