[Kim Geon-woo's social media]
[Kim Geon-woo's social media]

Former short track speed skating national team member Kim Geon-woo, 28, has personally denied reports of his death.

Kim posted a statement on his social media at around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

"I sincerely apologize for the confusion and concern this incident has caused many people," he said.

He added that he had been unable to access his Instagram account at the time the post in question was published and was unaware it had been uploaded. "I only learned of the posts later through contacts from people around me," he said.

Kim said the post was neither written nor published by him and was uploaded to his account without his knowledge or consent. "I am currently looking into why I was unable to access the account and how the post came to be published," he said. "I take seriously the fact that the contents of the post became widely known before the facts had been properly verified, causing worry and confusion for many people."

However, he said he believed it was better to wait until the facts were fully confirmed before making any definitive statements. "I am currently taking the necessary steps to verify and address the situation," he said. "Once again, I sincerely apologize to everyone who was shocked and worried by this. I also ask for your understanding in refraining from spreading unverified information or speculation until the full facts are confirmed."

A post announcing Kim's death had appeared on his account in the early hours of Wednesday, prompting news reports of his passing and an outpouring of condolences from fans. The death reports were later found to be false after acquaintances and figures in the skating community confirmed he was alive.

Born in 1998, Kim was one of the leading figures in South Korean men's short track speed skating. During the 2023-2024 International Skating Union Short Track Speed Skating World Cup season, he won gold in the men's 1,000 meters at the first leg and then took the men's 1,500 meters title at both the second and third legs, claiming individual gold medals at three consecutive World Cup events. He also held the World Cup overall rankings lead after the third leg.

Kim represented South Korea at the 2025 Harbin Asian Winter Games last year, competing in the mixed team 2,000-meter relay preliminary round and helping the team advance to the final, where South Korea won gold.

Kim continued his athletic career after that but fell short of a spot on the national team at the trials for the 2026 Winter Olympics, missing out on the Olympic stage.


min3654@heraldcorp.com