'Speed Skating Star' Kim Min-seok Caught Drunk Driving During Training Period... Disciplinary Action Initiated

Drunk Driving Caught Near Athlete Village on Night of 22nd
Kim Min-seok and 3 Fellow Athletes Riding Together

Speed skater Kim Min-seok (23, Seongnam City Hall), who won the first medal for the Korean national team at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, was found to have been driving under the influence. The photo shows Kim Min-seok of South Korea receiving the bronze medal at the medal ceremony held on the afternoon of the 9th at the Medal Plaza in Beijing, China, after finishing third in the men's 1500m speed skating event at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Speed skater Kim Min-seok (23, Seongnam City Hall), who won the first medal for the Korean national team at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, has been found to have driven under the influence of alcohol. The Korea Skating Union has initiated disciplinary procedures.

According to the Korea Skating Union, on the afternoon of the 22nd, Kim Min-seok drank alcohol during a dinner with three teammates near the Jincheon Athlete Village. Afterward, while driving his vehicle with the teammates on board and entering the village, he collided with a curb stone, revealing the fact of drunk driving.

Among the players who drank together were Jeong Jae-won (21, Uijeongbu City Hall), the silver medalist in the mass start at the Beijing Olympics, his older brother Jeong Jae-woong (23, Seongnam City Hall), and Jeong Seon-kyo (Sports Toto).

At the time of the accident, Kim Min-seok’s blood alcohol concentration was not measured, and he did not undergo a police investigation. However, due to drinking during the national team training period and driving under the influence, it is expected that avoiding severe disciplinary action will be difficult.

The Korea Skating Union suspended the training of the speed skating national team, including the four players, and expelled them all from the athlete village. The union is conducting an investigation by collecting written statements from the athletes and plans to hold a Sports Fairness Committee meeting on the 27th to discuss disciplinary measures. The decision on discipline is expected to be based on the investigation results.

According to union regulations, if drunk driving does not cause death or injury to others, a suspension of qualification may be imposed. If the blood alcohol concentration is between 0.03% and less than 0.08%, the suspension period is up to one year; between 0.08% and less than 0.2%, between one and three years; and 0.2% or higher, between three and five years.

If a fine or higher penalty is confirmed through police investigation, the athlete may be disqualified from the national team for at least two years. Article 10 (Disqualification) of the Korea Sports Council’s National Team Selection and Operation Regulations includes "persons who have been sentenced to a fine of less than 5 million won and for whom two years have not passed since the sentence was finalized."

Meanwhile, Kim Min-seok won the bronze medal in the men’s 1500m speed skating event at both the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Jeong Jae-won won the silver medal in the mass start at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

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