President Lee Endorses South Korea’s Largest Winter Olympic Squad Ahead of Milan‑Cortina Games
Updated (4 articles)
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Image: Yonhap
President Lee Publicly Supports Athletes On Feb 5, President Lee Jae Myung told senior aides at the presidential office that he will “root for” South Korean competitors at the Milan‑Cortina Games, emphasizing national solidarity and raising his fist in a symbolic gesture of support [1]. He pledged to stand alongside the public in cheering the team throughout the competition [1]. Lee’s remarks were made during a Cheong Wa Dae meeting focused on the upcoming Winter Olympics [1].
South Korea Sends Record 130 Athletes The delegation for the Feb 6‑22 Milan‑Cortina Olympics will comprise 130 athletes, the largest South Korean squad ever sent to a foreign Winter Games [1]. This expansion reflects the country’s growing winter‑sport program and ambition to compete across more disciplines [1]. The team’s size underscores South Korea’s intent to improve its medal prospects on the international stage [1].
Call for Increased Promotion and Public Encouragement President Lee instructed officials to intensify publicity for the Games, aiming to generate strong public encouragement and optimal support for the athletes [1]. He linked heightened media coverage to better performance conditions and broader national engagement [1]. Lee’s directive signals a coordinated government effort to showcase the athletes’ preparation and achievements [1].
National Pride Tied to Athletes’ Preparation Lee expressed hope that the athletes’ “sweat and effort” will pay off in the two‑week competition, bringing honor to the country [1]. He emphasized that successful performances would reflect the skills built over time through sustained training [1]. The president’s comments connect individual athletic success to collective national pride [1].
Timeline
1963 – South Korea and North Korea hold their first inter‑Korean talks in Switzerland to discuss forming a joint team for the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics, marking an early diplomatic overture despite long‑standing tensions [2].
1972 – The South Korean government publishes its inaugural Trade White Paper, establishing a formal framework for trade‑policy transparency and laying groundwork for future economic diplomacy [2].
1997 – Muju and Jeonju host the 18th Winter Universiade, South Korea’s first university‑level multi‑sport event, spurring regional infrastructure investment and raising the nation’s profile in winter sports [2].
2003 – Seoul and Pyongyang sign a ministerial pledge to cooperate on the North Korean nuclear issue, signaling a hopeful diplomatic breakthrough amid decades of hostility [2].
2011 – The number of foreigners naturalized as Korean citizens surpasses 100,000, reflecting demographic shifts and the country’s evolving citizenship policies [2].
2019 – Former Supreme Court chief justice Yang Sung‑tae is arrested on abuse‑of‑power charges, the first arrest of a chief justice in Korean constitutional history, intensifying debates over judicial independence [2].
Dec 3, 2025 – President Lee Jae Myung meets IOC President Kirsty Coventry at the Seoul presidential office during her visit for a world anti‑doping conference in Busan; Lee asks Coventry to support South Korea’s sports development and hopes to see the Olympic flag return, citing the 2018 PyeongChang unified‑team entrance as a diplomatic success [4].
Dec 3, 2025 – Coventry recalls her 2018 visit and praises South Korea as an Olympic partner, agreeing that sports can improve inter‑Korean relations and suggesting future visits to the IOC headquarters and the upcoming Milan‑Cortina Games [4].
Jan 9, 2026 – National Security Adviser Wi Sung‑lac tells reporters he monitors the possibility of North Korea sending athletes to the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi‑Nagoya (Sept 19‑Oct 4), describing sports exchanges as “among the less difficult forms of inter‑Korean engagement” and noting Japan’s likely favorable view [3].
Jan 9, 2026 – Wi adds that no decision has been made to raise the North Korean participation issue at the planned summit between President Lee and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, keeping the diplomatic channel open but undefined [3].
Feb 5, 2026 – President Lee publicly backs South Korea’s largest overseas Winter Olympic squad of 130 athletes for Milan‑Cortina 2026, raising his fist in solidarity and urging officials to intensify promotion so the team receives strong public encouragement [1].
Feb 5, 2026 – Lee says he hopes “the athletes will fully demonstrate the skills they have built over time so that their sweat and effort pay off in the next two weeks to bring honor to the country,” linking performance to national pride ahead of the Games [1].
Feb 6‑22, 2026 – South Korea competes in the Milan‑Cortina Winter Olympics with its biggest foreign delegation, reflecting the nation’s expanding winter‑sport program and the President’s call for national solidarity [1].
Sept 19 – Oct 4, 2026 – The Asian Games take place in Aichi‑Nagoya, Japan, with potential North Korean participation under diplomatic scrutiny, representing a possible low‑stakes avenue for inter‑Korean engagement [3].
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