Another controversy arose as Shim Suk-hee, a female short track speed skater who was released from a two-month suspension of qualifications for controversies over swearing and slandering at her colleagues, announced her return to the national team. The picture is of attending the Sports Fair Committee of the Korea Skating Federation in December of last year. Reporter Park Jong-min
The time of joining the national team of the women’s short track Shim Suk-hee (Seoul City Hall) has been delayed. In the midst of this, some short track fans took to the truck protests against Shim Suk-hee’s return to the national team.
The Korea Skating Federation announced on the 26th, “The short track team was originally scheduled to resume training at the Taereung Ice Rink in Seoul on the 27th, but the start date of the training was adjusted to March 2nd in consideration of the schedule of the 103rd National Winter Games.” Accordingly, the national team entered the Jincheon Athletes’ Village on March 2, and Shim Seok-hee, who announced his intention to return to the national team, is expected to join the team on the same day.
In a message exchanged with coach A of the national team at the time of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Shim Suk-hee revealed abusive language and demeaning expressions toward colleagues such as Choi Min-jeong (Seongnam City Hall) and Kim A-Rang (Goyang City Hall) through some media. Due to the controversy, he was suspended from qualification for two months by the Federation Sports Fair Committee (Penalty and Punishment Committee) in December last year, and his participation in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics was canceled.
However, on the 21st, Shim Suk-hee’s suspension of qualifications was lifted. Shim Suk-hee announced her intention to join the Federation on the 25th, with no problems returning to the national team after finishing first in the national team selection in May of last year. She was originally scheduled to return to the national team on the 27th, but it was delayed to March 2nd for the aforementioned reasons.
In the midst of this, some short-track fans started a truck protest against Shim Suk-hee’s return to the national team from the 27th. A fan said on the phone with CBS No Cut News, “From 9 am today, truck protests will be held in Yeouido, Gwanghwamun, and Sangam-dong, Seoul.”
The fan said, “After hearing the news of Shim Suk-hee’s return to the national team, dozens of fans decided to hold a protest against the Internet,” he added. He emphasized, “I was originally scheduled to go to the Taereung Ice Rink this afternoon, but the national team schedule has been delayed and the protest will continue at the Jincheon Athletes’ Village on March 2.”
A truck protest by fans against Shim Seok-hee’s return to the national team held in Yeouido, Seoul on the morning of the 27th. fan provided
Shim Suk-hee exchanged messages with Coach A not only to slander his teammates, but also to express his intention to knock out Choi Min-jung during the Pyeongchang Olympics. In fact, in the 1000m final, the two collided and fell, raising suspicions of an intentional collision. Choi Min-jung later complained of her emotional pain and demanded a thorough investigation of her truth, but the Federation Investigation Committee concluded that there was insufficient evidence for an intentional conflict.
Because of this, Choi Min-jung and Kim A-rang, who were victims of slander, are hesitant to join the national team. At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, which ended on the 20th, they collaborated to win a silver medal in the women’s 3000m relay. Choi Min-jung won her two consecutive 1500 m Olympics and a silver medal in the 1000 m. However, according to the ice skating industry, Choi Min-jung and Kim A-rang are contemplating joining the national team for Shim Suk-hee’s return.
Shim Seok-hee has apologized several times after the abuse scandal, but other players, including Choi Min-jung, are not accepting it. In particular, Choi Min-jung’s agency said, “Shim Suk-hee’s continuous phone calls and repeated text messages are being received, and she is complaining of extreme stress.”
The national team will participate in the International Skating Union (ISU) World Championships to be held in Montreal, Canada from March 18 to 20. It remains to be seen how Shim Suk-hee’s return will affect the national team.
