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Newly obtained footage of speed skaters Hwang and Lin's 2019 incident still leaves questions

Published: 07 Apr. 2026, 18:59

Hwang Dae-heon of Korea celebrates finishing second in Final A of the men's 1,500 meter short track speed skating event during the 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy. [TASS/YONHAP]

Newly obtained CCTV footage shows part of the incident at the center of the 2019 sexual misconduct allegations by Korean short track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon against his former teammate Lin Xiaojun — but it still leaves key questions unresolved.

Lin, whose name as a Korean national was Lim Hyo-jun, received a one-year suspension from the Korea Skating Union over the incident. He immigrated to China in the wake of the controversy, changing his legal name and going on to compete for Beijing in international events, including the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Italy.

Lin was initially convicted of sexual assault by the Seoul Central District Court in 2019, but eventually acquitted on appeal.

The footage, which was recorded at the Jincheon National Training Center on June 17, 2019, and recently obtained by the JoongAng Ilbo, shows a female athlete climbing onto an indoor rock climbing wall when Hwang approaches. According to the court, Hwang “punched her buttocks” and laughed as she fell onto the mat below. Moments later, as Hwang climbs the structure, Lin appears to tug on his shorts from behind.

However, because the surveillance camera captures only part of the rock climbing wall, it is unclear how far Hwang’s shorts were pulled down or how much of Hwang’s body was exposed.

Short track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon, center, can be seen touching his left buttock as he walks away from a rock climbing wall at the Jincheon National Training Center in this surveillance footage from June 19, 2019, that was recently obtained by the JoongAng Ilbo. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Accounts of the incident by the two sides diverge sharply.

In a statement released Monday, Hwang said he was “engaging playfully with a female athlete at the gym” when Lin “suddenly pulled down both [his] shorts and underwear.”

“It wasn’t slight — my buttocks were fully exposed,” Hwang said, adding that several female and underage athletes were present at the time.

He also alleged that Lin mocked him by dancing instead of apologizing and continued to tease him as they ran on the treadmills.

Lin’s side, however, has rejected the allegations raised by Hwang.

“There is nothing to respond to. Lin’s innocence has already been upheld by the Supreme Court,” his representative said.

In its ruling, the appellate court that acquitted Lin said his actions could not be viewed in isolation from the broader “mood” of the athletes gathered around the climbing wall just before the training session began.

“It is difficult to regard the defendant’s act alone as objectively causing sexual humiliation or disgust,” the court said, referring to the playful atmosphere at the time.

The court added that the act appeared far removed from any intent to arouse or satisfy sexual desire and could not be definitively interpreted as an act of “indecent assault involving force or intimidation.”

Noh Do-hee, a short track speed skater who witnessed the incident, submitted a statement to the court that appeared to support this interpretation.

Lin Xiaojun of China crashes in the quarterfinals during the men's 1,500 meter short track speed skating event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 14. [AP/YONHAP]

“[Lin] grabbed Hwang’s waist and, by mistake, caught the top of his shorts, causing both the shorts and underwear to slip slightly and expose part of his upper buttocks,” she said. “He did not mock or tease Hwang.”

Hwang has also faced criticism last season after repeatedly fouling teammate Park Ji-won at events, including the world championships, which ultimately cost Park a spot on the national team.

“I am highly competitive and tend to attempt aggressive overtakes, but I have never intended to harm anyone,” Hwang said. “I will try to ensure there is no room for misunderstanding.”

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 RIN, KIM HYO-KYUNG [[email protected]]