2022 Driving License Suspension Due to Drunk Driving
License Suspension Disciplinary Action Expected to End in May Next Year
Eligible to Participate in National Team Selection
Unable to Train After Seongnam City Hall Contract Expires
Olympic medalist and leading middle-distance speed skater Kim Min-seok is in the process of naturalizing to Hungary. It is reported that he received an offer to become a Korean coach for the Hungarian national team while being suspended from his national team status due to a drunk driving incident.
Kim Min-seok, who participated in the men's 1000m speed skating at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics (Photo by Yonhap News)
On the 20th, Yonhap News cited a key figure in the skating community, reporting that Kim Min-seok, along with short track skater Moon Won-jun, is pursuing naturalization to Hungary.
The official stated, "I understand that the agreement with the Hungarian side has been finalized."
Kim Min-seok had been on a winning streak after winning bronze medals in the men's 1500m speed skating events at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, but he was suspended due to a drunk driving accident.
In July 2022, Kim Min-seok caused a drunk driving accident at the Jincheon National Training Center in Chungbuk. In August of the same year, he was suspended for 1 year and 6 months by the Sports Fairness Committee of the Korea Skating Union.
In a trial last May, he was fined 4 million won and received a 2-year suspension from national team status by the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee. Kim Min-seok's suspension from the national team will end in May next year.
Speed skating national representative Kim Min-seok, who caused a drunk driving accident at Jincheon Athlete Village, is entering to attend the Sports Fairness Committee (Disciplinary Committee) held on August 8, 2022, at the Olympic Park Velodrome in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News.
Aside from the suspension, Kim Min-seok is in a position to compete under the Taegeuk mark at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, which has drawn attention to his decision to naturalize.
Kim Min-seok can participate in the 2025-2026 speed skating national team selection event held from October to November 2025 and can also compete in the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics.
The "training environment" is also known to be a reason behind his choice to naturalize. A skating official told Yonhap News, "After his contract with Seongnam City Hall expired, he was in a free agent status for a long time and was unable to train properly, and his selection to the national team was uncertain."
The official added, "He received a naturalization proposal from Coach Lee Cheol-won, a Korean coach of the Hungarian skating national team, and it seems he accepted it."
If naturalization is completed, he will be able to compete for Hungary at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics.
According to Article 41, Paragraph 2 of the Olympic Charter by the International Olympic Committee, an athlete who changes nationality must wait three years after competing in an international competition for their previous nationality before participating in the Olympics under the new nationality.
Kim Min-seok has not participated in any official competitions since competing in the men's 1000m event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics held in February 2022.
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