Short track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon celebrates after winning the silver medal in the men's 1,500-meter short track speed skating event at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 14. [YONHAP]

Short track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon celebrates after winning the silver medal in the men’s 1,500-meter short track speed skating event at the Winter Olympics at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 14. [YONHAP]

 

Short track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon spoke out belatedly about his past controversies, especially sexual harassment allegations against former teammate Lin Xiaojun — whose Korean name is Lim Hyo-jun — and more recent criticism that his aggressive actions on the ice have harmed team members.

 

“Inaccurate information is now believed to be facts since I haven’t addressed the controversies surrounding me,” Hwang said in a statement on Monday. “I want to correct that.”

 


 

The controversy stems from a 2019 incident at the Jincheon National Training Center, where Hwang accused fellow skater Lin of sexual harassment, alleging that Lin pulled down his pants during training.

 

Lin received a one-year suspension from the Korea Skating Union over the incident and immigrated to China, where he now competes as Lin Xiaojun. 

 

“I felt ashamed and embarrassed at the time. Lin continued to mock me by dancing and teasing me during training, which felt humiliating,” said Hwang. 

 

Hwang also raised concerns about the sincerity of Lin’s apology. 

 

“Before the first disciplinary committee meeting, Lin apologized, but immediately after I finished speaking, he asked me to sign a printed confirmation,” Hwang said. “From that moment, none of his apologies felt genuine.”

 

“This should not have escalated to this extent, but it has become an irreversible situation, which is unfortunate,” Hwang said, expressing his hope to clear up misunderstandings and compete again on the ice.

 

China’s Lin Xiaojun reacts after finishing fourth and failing to advance to the semifinals in the men’s 500 meters quarterfinals in short track speed skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on Feb. 18. [NEWS1]

China’s Lin Xiaojun reacts after finishing fourth and failing to advance to the semifinals in the men’s 500 meters quarterfinals in short track speed skating at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on Feb. 18. [NEWS1]

 

Hwang also addressed a “team kill” controversy involving teammate Park Ji-won that arose last season.

 

At the time, Hwang faced criticism after repeatedly fouling Park 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.” 

 

Hwang also defended his highly criticized interview demeanor.  

 

“The negative expressions and behavior I showed were not because I was upset, but rather stemmed from being caught off guard in unexpected situations,” he said.

 

“Hwang is currently experiencing both physical and mental fatigue and will not participate in the upcoming national team selection trials,” his agency Lionat announced. 

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 JONG-SUH [[email protected]]