Chinese State Media Respect Hwang Daeheon’s Gold Medal... But

Praised by Chinese Netizens for Truly Showing Ability
Indirect Criticism of Korean Team's Strategy for Not Adhering to New ISU Rules

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] Chinese state media reported on the 9th that South Korean athlete Hwang Dae-heon won the gold medal in the men's 1500m short track final at the '2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.' It praised him for showing his true ability just two days after being disqualified in the 1000m semifinals, earning respect from Chinese netizens.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 10th, the Chinese state-run Global Times published an article titled "South Korea's Hwang Dae-heon wins short track 1500m gold, earns respect from Chinese netizens," reporting that Hwang edged out Canadian athlete Steven Dubois by 0.035 seconds to claim the gold medal in the 1500m final. It also added that South Korean President Moon Jae-in sent a congratulatory message to Hwang.

It is very unusual for state media to report extensively on a South Korean athlete's gold medal. This appears to be a response to criticism of biased judgments by Western countries including South Korea.

The media cited experts, analyzing that the South Korean short track team revised their race strategy, which enabled Hwang to win the gold medal. The South Korean team entered the 1500m final with a strategy of taking the lead from the start rather than overtaking opponents in the latter half. In fact, Hwang took the outside lane from the early stage with eight laps remaining and maintained the lead until crossing the finish line.

The Global Times also mentioned the controversy over biased judgment in the 1000m semifinals on the 7th. It reported that after Hwang was disqualified in the 1000m semifinals, the South Korean team protested to the International Skating Union (ISU), but the protest was rejected. It explained that the short track events at this Beijing Winter Olympics were conducted according to the ISU's latest revised rules. The new ISU rules emphasize that collisions occurring when overtaking at the end of a straight section or changing lanes are the responsibility of the offending athlete. The media pointed out that the South Korean short track team should have been more familiar with the new rules and played more cautiously.

The Global Times article implies that the South Korean coaching staff either did not fully understand the ISU's new rules or, despite knowing them, stuck to their old race strategies, resulting in Hwang's disqualification in the 1000m semifinals.

The media also added that some South Korean media outlets and politicians are exaggerating and inciting the disqualification issue to stir public hatred against China.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.