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Korea's medal-winning snowboarders receive another prize: Money

Published: 10 Feb. 2026, 13:15 Updated: 18 Feb. 2026, 14:44

Snowboarder Yu Seung-eun poses for a photo with her bronze medal after the women’s big air final at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy, on Feb. 9,. [NEWS1]

Korea has been waiting eight years for another Olympic medal in ski and snowboard events. At the Milan-Cortina Winter Games, it got two — and with them, snowboarders Kim Sang-kyum and Yu Seung-eun also netted bonuses from Korea's national federation.

The Korea Ski & Snowboard Association (KSA) said Tuesday that it will award Kim 200 million won ($138,000) and Yu 100 million won for their podium finishes, which accounted for Korea’s first and second medals of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Kim opened the medal count on Sunday, winning silver in the men’s parallel giant slalom at Livigno Snow Park. On Monday, Yu added bronze in the women’s big air, giving Korea multiple ski and snowboard medals at a single Winter Olympics for the first time.

The results marked another milestone for a program that has struggled to break through on the Olympic stage. Before Milan-Cortina, Korea’s only Olympic medal in ski and snowboard events came at the 2018 PyeongChang Games, when Lee Sang-ho won silver in men’s snowboard parallel giant slalom. No Korean athlete reached the podium in ski or snowboard disciplines at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Snowboarder Kim Sang-kyum, silver medalist in the men’s parallel giant slalom, celebrates during the medal ceremony at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy, on Feb. 8,. [NEWS1]

The KSA kept its incentive structure unchanged from Beijing, setting bonuses of 300 million won for gold, 200 million won for silver and 100 million won for bronze. With no medalists four years ago, the payouts will be made for the first time under that framework.

The bonus system extends beyond medalists. In Olympic competition, athletes who finish fourth receive 50 million won, fifth-place finishers earn 30 million won and sixth place is rewarded with 10 million won. The same approach applies to major international events such as world championships, World Cups, the Youth Olympics and junior world championships.

The association plans to hold an awards ceremony next month after the Games conclude.

Snowboarder Kim Sang-kyum celebrates after defeating world No. 1 Roland Fischnaller of Italy in the quarterfinals of the men’s parallel giant slalom at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy, on Feb. 8. [NEWS1]

Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, whose company serves as the association’s lead sponsor, also reached out to Kim after the silver-medal finish. Shin sent a congratulatory letter and a gift, praising the 37-year-old veteran rider’s persistence and reaffirming his support for the future of Korean snow sports.

“Because this result came from never giving up, it feels even more meaningful. As someone who has long dreamed of advancing snow sports, I will continue to support your future,” Shin wrote.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK JONG-SUH [[email protected]]