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Korea takes silver in men's short track relay on pass on the final corner

Published: 21 Feb. 2026, 10:41 Updated: 21 Feb. 2026, 10:59

Members of the Korean men's 5,000-meter short track speed skating relay team celebrate after winning the silver medal at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 20. Clockwise from left: Shin Dong-min (without helmet), Lee June-seo, Hwang Dae-heon, Lee Jeong-min and Rim Jong-un. [YONHAP]

Korea seized the silver medal in the men's short track speed skating relay at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday.

The quartet of Rim Jong-un, Lee Jeong-min, Lee June-seo and Hwang Dae-heon finished behind the Netherlands at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Friday for Korea's second straight silver in the men's 5,000-meter relay. Italy grabbed the bronze medal.

This was the final day of the short track competition at this year's Olympics.

Rim, who won the 1,000-meter bronze, and Hwang, the 1,500-meter silver medalist, each finished the competition with two medals. This was the first Olympic medal for both Lee Jeong-min and Shin Dong-min, a fifth member of the team who skated in the semifinals and was thus awarded the silver after the final. Lee June-seo has now won his second straight relay medal, after teaming up for silver in 2022 in Beijing.

Korea has now won eight medals so far at the Olympics here, including five in short track.

With Lee June-seo as the leadoff, Korea started the 45-lap race carefully, content to sit in the back of the pack as the Netherlands, Canada and Italy took turns grabbing the lead.

The race picked up speed with 18 laps to go as Lee Jeong-min moved into second place. Six laps later, Lee made a deft inside pass to put Korea in the lead.

Rim kept Korea in front and Lee June-seo did the same. But with eight laps remaining, Hwang was passed by a Dutch skater.

Lee Jeong-min couldn't quite make a pass on Melle van 't Wout of the Netherlands, but Rim managed to keep Korea in second place as the next skater.

With three laps remaining, Lee June-seo conceded the second spot to Italy. And as the Dutch star Jens van 't Wout pulled away, it was up to Hwang to try to salvage a silver medal for Korea.

And he did exactly that by passing Pietro Sighel of Italy on the outside over the final corner for second place.

Yonhap