*This content was translated by AI.
Kim Min-seok (27), a speed skating medalist who left Korea after being suspended from the national team due to a drunk driving scandal, will eventually take the stage in a Hungarian uniform.
According to the list of athletes on the official website of the 2026 Milan-Cortina D'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, Kim Min-seok has been officially registered as a member of the Hungarian speed skating team as of the 1st (Korea Standard Time). As a result, Kim Min-seok will go on his third Olympic medal hunt with the Hungarian flag on his chest, not the national flag.
Hungary has been raising expectations for a medal by making Kim Min-seok's joining a team a fait accompli early on. Hungarian media "Hungary Today" predicted in February last year, "With Kim Min-seok's naturalization, Hungary is certain to participate in the speed skating at the Olympics," adding, "Kim Min-seok, who has already won three Olympic medals as a Korean national, is a strong candidate for medals in the men's 1,000m and 1,500m again this time."
Kim Min-seok played as a sign of Korea's ice speed by winning the men's team pursuit silver medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the 1500m bronze medal, and the 1500m bronze medal at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
However, Kim Min-seok fell to the abyss in an instant. Kim Min-seok had an accident in July 2022 when he drove his car into the village after drinking alcohol in Jincheon Training Center, Chungcheongbuk-do, and hit the boundary stone of the sidewalk block. The accident resulted in a one-and-a-half-year suspension from the Sports Fair Committee of the Korea Skating Union, and a fine of 4 million won was imposed in May 2023. The Korean Sports Council also suspended him for two years.
In fact, Kim Min-seok, who is uncertain about his participation in the 2026 Olympics, chose naturalization. In July 2024, the naturalization process was completed through the Hungarian Skating Union.
In an interview with Hungarian media 'Nemjeti Sport' at the time, Kim Min-seok said, "Drinking is entirely my fault and there is no excuse," but added, "The Korean Skating Union will give me an opportunity to participate in the 2026 Olympic national team selection match." But how can we prepare for the Olympics when we can't even stand on the ice for three years. "I had no choice but to choose Hungary for reaching out while my team had no income," he said, revealing the background of naturalization.
The presence of coach Eric Lee (Lee Chul-won), who currently leads the Hungarian national team, was crucial. "When I thought I lost everything, Eric Lee, who played together before and is now working as a Hungarian coach for three years, gave me a chance to train short track," Kim Min-seok said. I am truly grateful to the team and the Hungarians for accepting me," he said.
In addition, Kim Min-seok said, "I drank at the time of the incident, and I drove. It won't happen again, and I've gotten rid of the car after the incident."
Kim Min-seok has been preparing for the Olympics by training as a member of Team Gold, an international skating team, in the Netherlands, not Hungary, after naturalization. According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regulations, it is not possible to participate in the Olympics with a different nationality until three years after participating in an international competition with an existing nationality. Kim Min-seok has not recorded an international competition since the Beijing Olympics in February 2022, so he has qualified for the Milan Games.
<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>
*This content was translated by AI.
