First Gold Medal at Winter Olympics... President Lee Says "A New Chapter in Snowboarding History"

Congratulatory message to Choi Gaon via social media
Extending congratulations to short track bronze medalist Lim Jong-eon

President Lee Jaemyung sent a congratulatory message on the news that Choi Gaon won the gold medal in the women's snowboard halfpipe and Lim Jong-eon won the bronze medal in the men's 1,000m short track at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.

Yonhap News

On the 13th, President Lee posted on Facebook under the title "Congratulations on Korea's first gold medal and the first medal in short track" and wrote, "I am starting the day with joyful news."

President Lee first said that Choi's gold medal had written a new chapter in the history of Korean snowboarding. He wrote, "Our snowboarding has gradually expanded its scope from alpine to freestyle and halfpipe, starting with its first Olympic medal in 2018," and added, "This achievement shows that Korea now stands shoulder to shoulder with the world's best even in halfpipe, an iconic freestyle event."

He continued, "In particular, despite the disappointment in the first and second runs, Choi did not waver and finally seized the gold medal by scoring the dream score of 90 points in the third run, a performance that deeply moved not only the Korean people but also audiences around the world," adding, "Her pledge to 'become an athlete who surpasses herself' makes us look forward even more to her future growth."

Yonhap News Agency

He also extended his congratulations on Lim's bronze medal. President Lee said, "Lim's bronze medal is also very meaningful," and continued, "The men's 1,000m short track has long been a symbolic event that has made Korea an 'undisputed powerhouse.' Lim, who has drawn attention as one of the International Olympic Committee's ten rising stars, proved through this achievement that the strength and tradition of Korean short track remain firmly intact even amid a generational shift."

President Lee went on to say, "The future of Korea is truly bright," adding, "I will continue to support the future of these two rising athletes who achieved such valuable results in their first Olympic appearance. I also send strong encouragement to all the athletes who will compete in the upcoming events."