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President Lee Honors Women’s Short‑Track Relay Gold as South Korea Secures Second Olympic Gold

Updated (6 articles)
  • This photo, taken Feb. 12, 2026, shows President Lee Jae Myung saluting the national flag at a meeting with his senior secretaries at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. (Yonhap)
    This photo, taken Feb. 12, 2026, shows President Lee Jae Myung saluting the national flag at a meeting with his senior secretaries at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    This photo, taken Feb. 12, 2026, shows President Lee Jae Myung saluting the national flag at a meeting with his senior secretaries at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul. (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Members of the South Korean women's short track speed skating relay team jump onto the top of the podium after winning the gold medal at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 18, 2026. From left: Shim Suk-hee, Noh Do-hee, Lee So-yeon, Kim Gil-li and Choi Min-jeong. (Yonhap)
    Members of the South Korean women's short track speed skating relay team jump onto the top of the podium after winning the gold medal at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 18, 2026. From left: Shim Suk-hee, Noh Do-hee, Lee So-yeon, Kim Gil-li and Choi Min-jeong. (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Members of the South Korean women's short track speed skating relay team jump onto the top of the podium after winning the gold medal at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 18, 2026. From left: Shim Suk-hee, Noh Do-hee, Lee So-yeon, Kim Gil-li and Choi Min-jeong. (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Members of the South Korean women's short track speed skating relay team jump onto the top of the podium after winning the gold medal at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 18, 2026. From left: Shim Suk-hee, Noh Do-hee, Lee So-yeon, Kim Gil-li and Choi Min-jeong. (Yonhap)
    Members of the South Korean women's short track speed skating relay team jump onto the top of the podium after winning the gold medal at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 18, 2026. From left: Shim Suk-hee, Noh Do-hee, Lee So-yeon, Kim Gil-li and Choi Min-jeong. (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Members of the South Korean women's short track speed skating relay team jump onto the top of the podium after winning the gold medal at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 18, 2026. From left: Shim Suk-hee, Noh Do-hee, Lee So-yeon, Kim Gil-li and Choi Min-jeong. (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Members of the South Korean women's curling team celebrate their win over Sweden in a round-robin match in the women's curling tournament at the Winter Olympics at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 18, 2026. From left: Gim Eun-ji, Kim Min-ji, Seol Ye-eun and Kim Su-ji. (Yonhap)
    Members of the South Korean women's curling team celebrate their win over Sweden in a round-robin match in the women's curling tournament at the Winter Olympics at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 18, 2026. From left: Gim Eun-ji, Kim Min-ji, Seol Ye-eun and Kim Su-ji. (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Members of the South Korean women's curling team celebrate their win over Sweden in a round-robin match in the women's curling tournament at the Winter Olympics at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, on Feb. 18, 2026. From left: Gim Eun-ji, Kim Min-ji, Seol Ye-eun and Kim Su-ji. (Yonhap) Source Full size
  • Yu Seung-eun of South Korea competes in the women's snowboard slopestyle final at the Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy, on Feb. 18, 2026. (Yonhap)
    Yu Seung-eun of South Korea competes in the women's snowboard slopestyle final at the Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy, on Feb. 18, 2026. (Yonhap)
    Image: Yonhap
    Yu Seung-eun of South Korea competes in the women's snowboard slopestyle final at the Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy, on Feb. 18, 2026. (Yonhap) Source Full size

Women’s 3,000‑Meter Relay Wins South Korea’s Second Gold On February 18, 2026, the South Korean quartet of Choi Min‑jeong, Kim Gil‑li, Noh Do‑hee and Shim Suk‑hee captured the 3,000‑meter relay at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, defeating Italy and Canada in the 27‑lap final. The victory marked the nation’s first short‑track gold of the Milan‑Cortina Games and its second overall gold medal. It added a seventh Olympic gold in the women’s relay event for South Korea since its introduction [1][2].

Choi Min‑jeong Avoids Fall, Secures Sixth Olympic Medal Mid‑race, Choi nearly slipped when a Canadian blade struck teammate Michelle Velzeboer’s skate, but she stayed upright and kept South Korea in contention. Her composure allowed Kim Gil‑li to launch the final surge that clinched gold. President Lee highlighted that the performance gave Choi her sixth Olympic medal, placing her among the country’s most decorated athletes [1][2].

President Lee Publicly Congratulates Relay Squad on Facebook On February 19, President Lee Jae‑Myung posted a Facebook message extending “deepest congratulations” to the relay team and calling the win proof of South Korea’s short‑track powerhouse reputation. He praised the athletes’ skill and years of teamwork, and a photo from February 12 showed him saluting the national flag at Cheong Wa Dae. The post underscored the government’s recognition of the athletes’ contribution to national pride [1].

South Korea’s Medal Count Reaches Seven With Relay Victory The relay gold lifted South Korea’s tally to two gold, two silver and three bronze medals, totaling seven medals as the Games near their closing day on Sunday. The medal haul positions the country among the top performers at the Milan‑Cortina Olympics. Officials expect the final day’s events, including curling, to potentially add to the count [2].

Women’s Curling Team Nears Semifinals After Sweden Win In a round‑robin match on February 18, the South Korean women’s curling squad defeated Sweden 8‑3, improving its record to 5‑3. The win kept the team within striking distance of the semifinals, pending a victory over Canada in the final round‑robin game. The performance highlights South Korea’s broader strength across winter sports beyond short‑track [2].

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Timeline

1906 – Ahn Ik‑tae is born in Pyongyang; his composition later becomes South Korea’s national anthem, symbolizing national identity. [6]

1964 – South Korea establishes diplomatic relations with Kenya, marking an early expansion of its African outreach and laying groundwork for future bilateral cooperation. [3]

1992 – South Korea and Turkmenistan forge diplomatic ties, extending Seoul’s engagement into Central Asia and opening channels for political and economic exchange. [3]

1995 – Former President Roh Tae‑woo is indicted for accepting 280 billion won in bribes, reflecting ongoing challenges of corruption in South Korean politics. [6]

1999 – South Korea signs an investment treaty with Israel, facilitating bilateral investment flows and strengthening economic partnership. [3]

2009 – Figure skater Kim Yu‑na wins the Four Continents women’s singles title in Vancouver, scoring 116.83 points in the free skate and cementing South Korea’s rising prominence in winter sports. [3]

2009 – Kim Yu‑na captures her third ISU Grand Prix Final title in Tokyo, posting 188.86 points and underscoring South Korea’s elite status in figure skating. [6]

2010 – South Korea and the United States finalize new auto‑trade provisions, addressing U.S. concerns over Korean export barriers and preserving the broader free‑trade framework. [6]

2013 – The South Korean parliament approves the deployment of roughly 500 troops to the Philippines for humanitarian relief after Typhoon Haiyan, demonstrating Seoul’s commitment to international aid. [6]

2016 – North Korea launches a long‑range rocket, violating UN Security Council resolutions and heightening regional security tensions. [3]

2019 – U.S. Special Representative Stephen Biegun meets his North Korean counterpart in Pyongyang for working‑level talks, aiming to arrange a second summit after the inconclusive Vietnam meeting. [3]

Dec 3, 2024 – President Yoon Suk‑Yeol declares emergency martial law, which is lifted six hours later after lawmakers overturn it; police open a treason investigation into the decree. [6]

Dec 13, 2025 – Snowboarder Yu Seung‑eun wins silver in the women’s big‑air event at the Steamboat Springs World Cup, becoming the first South Korean to medal in big‑air at a World Cup and boosting the nation’s Olympic hopes. [5]

Jan 31, 2026 – Veteran Choi Min‑jeong targets a third consecutive 1,500 m Olympic gold, which would tie her for most Korean Winter Olympic medals, while 18‑year‑old Rim Jong‑un emerges as the men’s short‑track star for Milan‑Cortina. [4]

Feb 10‑21, 2026 – Short‑track speed skating events run at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, beginning with women’s 500 m and men’s 1,000 m heats on Feb 10 and culminating in the women’s 1,500 m final on Feb 21, where Choi seeks historic gold. [4]

Feb 18, 2026 – South Korea wins the women’s 3,000 m short‑track relay, its second gold of the Games, as Choi Min‑jeong averts a fall after a collision and Kim Gil‑li powers a final surge; the curling team beats Sweden to stay in semifinal contention, bringing the nation’s medal count to two gold, two silver, three bronze. [2]

Feb 19, 2026 – President Lee Jae Myung posts “deepest congratulations” to the relay squad on Facebook, praising their skill, teamwork and Choi’s sixth Olympic medal, and salutes the athletes as proof of South Korea’s short‑track powerhouse reputation. [1]

Feb 23, 2026 – The Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympics conclude on Sunday, with final medal events—including curling’s last round‑robin match—determining the ultimate medal tally. [2]

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