"Sentencing Measures Considering Olympic Medal and Other Award Achievements"
Speed Skating Coach Kim Jin-su Also Suspended for One Year
[Asia Economy Reporter Minji Lee] Kim Min-seok (Seongnam City Hall), a male national speed skating representative who caused a drunk driving accident, has been suspended from qualification for 1 year and 6 months. It is expected that he will be able to participate in the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics without any issues.
The Korea Skating Union Sports Fairness Committee (Fairness Committee) held a disciplinary meeting on the 8th at the union meeting room in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul, and imposed a 1 year and 6 months suspension on Kim Min-seok for drunk driving accident, causing a disturbance while intoxicated, and acts that damaged the dignity of athletes. Kim Min-seok will return in February 2024.
Jung Jae-woong (Seongnam City Hall), who also drove under the influence, received a 1-year suspension. Jung Seon-kyo (Sports Toto) and Jung Jae-won (Uijeongbu City Hall), who accompanied him in the vehicle and aided the drunk driving, received minor suspensions of 6 months and 2 months respectively. Kim Jin-su, the head coach of the speed skating national team, who was referred to the Fairness Committee along with the athletes due to management issues, was given a severe suspension of 1 year.
Kim Sung-chul, chairman of the Sports Fairness Committee, stated in a briefing, "A 1 year and 6 months suspension is a critical penalty for an athlete," adding, "However, the sentencing was adjusted considering Kim Min-seok’s achievements such as Olympic medals and other awards."
Regarding the minor penalty for athlete Jung Jae-won, Chairman Kim explained, "He was reportedly so intoxicated that he could not remember what car he took to return," and "The disciplinary level was decided considering that he was unaware of his teammates’ drunk driving."
Earlier, four athletes including Kim Min-seok, Jung Jae-woong, Jung Jae-won, and Jung Seon-kyo drank alcohol while dining near the Jincheon Training Center in Chungcheongbuk-do on the afternoon of the 22nd of last month. They then returned to the training center in a passenger car owned by Kim Min-seok, driven by Jung Jae-woong. Among them, Kim Min-seok, Jung Jae-woong, and Jung Seon-kyo rested at their dormitory before being invited to a birthday party for short track national team member Park Ji-yoon (Uijeongbu City Hall) and went down to the Welcome Center at the main gate of the training center. After the gathering, Kim Min-seok caused an accident by colliding with the curb stone of a sidewalk in the village while returning to the dormitory with Jung Jae-woong, Jung Seon-kyo, and Park Ji-yoon in his vehicle. It is reported that they left the vehicle at the accident site and entered the dormitory immediately after the accident.
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