Minho posted on SNS to certify completing his first full marathon of 42.195 kilometers in 3 hours, 0 minutes and 18 seconds. [SNS]
Minho posted on SNS to certify completing his first full marathon of 42.195 kilometers in 3 hours, 0 minutes and 18 seconds. [SNS]

SHINee member Minho, whose full name is Choi Mi-ho, has apologized after footage emerged showing what appeared to be a pacemaker physically pushing him during a full marathon — but a formal complaint has now been filed questioning whether he should continue serving as a promotional ambassador for the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee. The committee said it has assigned a staff member to review the matter.

According to the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee on Wednesday, the complaint calls on the organization to assess whether Minho's continued service as its ambassador remains appropriate. It also asks the secretariat of the JTBC Seoul Marathon to clarify how race rules were applied, how his finishing time was processed, and on what grounds he was placed in Group B.

The committee appointed Minho as a promotional ambassador in September last year, announcing that he would support efforts to promote recreational sports and help communicate sports policy messages to the public.

The controversy erupted at the 2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon, held Sunday.

Minho posted on SNS to certify that he had completed his first-ever full marathon of 42.195 kilometers in 3 hours, 0 minutes and 18 seconds.

The time placed him just short of what runners call a "sub-3" — finishing a full marathon in under three hours, or 2:59:59 or faster. Among the running community, breaking the three-hour mark is considered a badge of honor.

After the race, however, video circulated online appearing to show a person believed to be Minho's pacemaker pushing him forward with a hand on his back, drawing widespread criticism.

A pacemaker is a runner who accompanies a competitor to help maintain a steady pace and rhythm in line with the athlete's target finishing time.

Minho ultimately posted an apology on SNS on Tuesday, writing, "Everything that happened was due to my own shortcomings," and adding, "I will not accept the result of this marathon, and I will not forget the lessons I learned from this experience."

The 2026 JTBC Seoul Marathon is listed as an F-rated road race on the official World Athletics calendar. Under World Athletics' 2026 technical rules applicable to the event, athletes are prohibited from receiving physical assistance from another person to move forward — except in cases where a fallen competitor is helped back to their feet.


yeonjoo7@heraldcorp.com