Day: December 17, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Sunday named a new industry minister in a Cabinet reshuffle that will replace the country’s industry chief after just three months.

Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun was nominated as the new minister of trade, industry and energy, presidential chief of staff Kim Dae-ki told reporters. Ahn’s nomination came about two weeks after Yoon carried out a partial Cabinet reshuffle that replaced six Cabinet posts.

“Ahn is an expert in international trade with expertise in both theory and practice, and shows great competence in responding successfully to various trade issues as the current trade minister,” Kim said.

“We expect the nominee to accelerate the promotion of exports, as well as fostering key strategic industries and innovating industrial regulations, to revitalize our economy and lead the expansion of our economic horizons with verified skills and expansive networks both at home and abroad,” he added.

Ahn’s appointment comes three months after incumbent minister Bang Moon-kyu assumed the post in September. Bang is widely expected to run in the general elections in April.

As an expert in the field of international trade and commerce, Ahn was an adviser to the foreign ministry and the industry ministry.

He also served as the first trade minister under the Yoon administration, dealing with key issues in economic security, including diversifying South Korea’s supply chains and the United States’ Inflation Reduction Act.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

South Korean teenager Kim Gil-li completed her sweep of women’s 1,500-meter titles at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup Short Track Speed Skating on home ice Sunday.

Kim won the second of two 1,500m finals at Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul on Sunday, some 24 hours after winning the first one, with a time of 2:23.746. Kristen Santos-Griswold of the United States finished second in 2:23.968, followed by Hanne Desmet of Belgium in 2:24.283.

The 19-year-old has never previously won two individual titles at a single World Cup stop until this weekend.

“It feels great to win two gold medals for the first time at a World Cup, and doing so in Seoul makes it even more special,” Kim said afterward.

Kim has won at least one gold in all four World Cup stops so far this season. She leads the overall World Cup standings with 865 points, 60 ahead of Santos-Griswold.

In Sunday’s final, Kim brought up the rear early on in the 13.5-lap race, with fellow Korean Shim Suk-hee in the middle. Desmet sprinted way ahead of the pack after a couple of laps, daring others to try to catch up.

Kim stayed in the back, biding her opportunity and waiting for Desmet to inevitably lose steam. Shim briefly moved into the lead position with Kim up to fifth place with four laps to go. Then Kim started making her move on the outside, zooming past two Americans, Santos-Griswold and Corinne Stoddard.

Kim grabbed the lead with one lap to go and cruised across the finish line ahead of Santos-Griswold. Shim ended up in fifth place.

Kim said she felt her chances of winning the final increased when Desmet put on an early charge.

“Given the poor quality of ice here, it can take a lot out of you if you’re leading early and trying to hold on for a few laps,” Kim explained.

Asked if she felt confident that she could win any race on the ice, Kim smiled and said, “No, that’s not the case. But I always try to do the best I can.”

In the second men’s 1,500m final Sunday, South Korea’s Park Ji-won grabbed silver behind William Dandjinou of Canada. On Saturday, Park had edged out Dandjinou for the gold in the first 1,500m final.

Dandjinou and Park were in the lead early on, with Yerkebulan Shamukhanov of Kazakhstan and Niall Treacy of Britain also in the mix. Park dropped back to sixth before putting on a charge and positioning himself behind Treacy in second place with nine laps remaining.

Multiple lead changes followed, with Dandjinou and Shamukhanov jostling for position in front while Park found himself in third and then in fourth place.

Dandjinou pulled ahead with three laps to go, leaving others to race for second place. Park ended up in second place and Steven Dubois of Canada finished third after Shamukhanov received a penalty for illegal passing.

Park remained in second place in the men’s overall World Cup standings with 681 points, only two back of Dubois.

This was the first ISU World Cup Short Track event in South Korea in six years.

The next World Cup will take place in Dresden, Germany, in February 2024.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

South Korean teenager Kim Gil-li completed her sweep of women’s 1,500-meter titles at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup Short Track Speed Skating on home ice Sunday.

Kim won the second of two 1,500m finals at Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul on Sunday, some 24 hours after winning the first one, with a time of 2:23.746. Kristen Santos-Griswold of the United States finished second in 2:23.968, followed by Hanne Desmet of Belgium in 2:24.283.

The 19-year-old has never previously won two individual titles at a single World Cup stop until this weekend.

“It feels great to win two gold medals for the first time at a World Cup, and doing so in Seoul makes it even more special,” Kim said afterward.

Kim has won at least one gold in all four World Cup stops so far this season. She leads the overall World Cup standings with 865 points, 60 ahead of Santos-Griswold.

In Sunday’s final, Kim brought up the rear early on in the 13.5-lap race, with fellow Korean Shim Suk-hee in the middle. Desmet sprinted way ahead of the pack after a couple of laps, daring others to try to catch up.

Kim stayed in the back, biding her opportunity and waiting for Desmet to inevitably lose steam. Shim briefly moved into the lead position with Kim up to fifth place with four laps to go. Then Kim started making her move on the outside, zooming past two Americans, Santos-Griswold and Corinne Stoddard.

Kim grabbed the lead with one lap to go and cruised across the finish line ahead of Santos-Griswold. Shim ended up in fifth place.

Kim said she felt her chances of winning the final increased when Desmet put on an early charge.

“Given the poor quality of ice here, it can take a lot out of you if you’re leading early and trying to hold on for a few laps,” Kim explained.

Asked if she felt confident that she could win any race on the ice, Kim smiled and said, “No, that’s not the case. But I always try to do the best I can.”

In the second men’s 1,500m final Sunday, South Korea’s Park Ji-won grabbed silver behind William Dandjinou of Canada. On Saturday, Park had edged out Dandjinou for the gold in the first 1,500m final.

Dandjinou and Park were in the lead early on, with Yerkebulan Shamukhanov of Kazakhstan and Niall Treacy of Britain also in the mix. Park dropped back to sixth before putting on a charge and positioning himself behind Treacy in second place with nine laps remaining.

Multiple lead changes followed, with Dandjinou and Shamukhanov jostling for position in front while Park found himself in third and then in fourth place.

Dandjinou pulled ahead with three laps to go, leaving others to race for second place. Park ended up in second place and Steven Dubois of Canada finished third after Shamukhanov received a penalty for illegal passing.

Park remained in second place in the men’s overall World Cup standings with 681 points, only two back of Dubois.

Also on Sunday, Seo Yi-ra grabbed silver in the men’s 500m for his first international medal since winning the 1,000m bronze medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

Seo, 31, had retired after coming up short in the national team trials for the 2019-2020 season and began coaching. Inspired after watching old teammates at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Seo returned to competition in the fall of 2022 and earned a national team spot for the 2023-2024 season.

Seo’s last World Cup medal had come during the 2015-2016 season.

Seo led Sunday’s final with two laps to go, but was nipped at the finish line by Liu Shaoang of China.

In a photo finish, Liu earned the gold in 41.196 seconds, with Seo coming home in 41.205 seconds.

South Korea picked up silver in the women’s 3,000m relay, with a quartet of Kim Gil-li, Shim Suk-hee, Lee So-yeon and Seo Whi-min finishing the 27-lap race in 4:10.607. The Netherlands won gold in 4:10.181.

South Korea hung around third place most of the race, and then dropped to fourth with three laps to go. But then Kim put on a powerful charge over the final turn and dragged her team to second place.

South Korea missed the podium by finishing in fourth place in the men’s 5,000m relay, after Kim Gun-woo lost his balance and fell with 13.5 laps remaining in the 45-lap race. South Korea had been leading for most of the race before China moved ahead and Kim dropped to the ice soon afterward.

This was the first ISU World Cup Short Track event in South Korea in six years.

The next World Cup will take place in Dresden, Germany, in February 2024.

Source: Yonhap News Agency

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Sunday named a new industry minister in a Cabinet reshuffle that will replace the country’s industry chief after just three months.

Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun was nominated as the new minister of trade, industry and energy, presidential chief of staff Kim Dae-ki told reporters. Ahn’s nomination came about two weeks after Yoon carried out a partial Cabinet reshuffle that replaced six Cabinet posts.

“Ahn is an expert in international trade with expertise in both theory and practice, and shows great competence in responding successfully to various trade issues as the current trade minister,” Kim said.

“We expect the nominee to accelerate the promotion of exports, as well as fostering key strategic industries and innovating industrial regulations, to revitalize our economy and lead the expansion of our economic horizons with verified skills and expansive networks both at home and abroad,” he added.

Ahn’s appointment comes three months after incumbent minister Bang Moon-kyu assumed the post in September. Bang is widely expected to run in the general elections in April.

As an expert in the field of international trade and commerce, Ahn was an adviser to the foreign ministry and the industry ministry.

He also served as the first trade minister under the Yoon administration, dealing with key issues in economic security, including diversifying South Korea’s supply chains and the United States’ Inflation Reduction Act.

The president could also name new nominees to helm the foreign ministry, the presidential National Security Office and the National Intelligence Service (NIS) as early as Monday.

Foreign Minister Park Jin is widely believed to be considering a run in the general elections in April, while NIS Director Kim Kyou-hyun and his two deputies resigned in late November in the wake of a controversy over the agency’s personnel management.

First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin and Cho Tae-yul, who previously served as Seoul’s ambassador to Spain and the United Nations, are reportedly being considered for the role of the country’s top diplomat.

Cho Tae-yong, Yoon’s national security advisor, is widely believed to be a strong candidate for new NIS director.

Source: Yonhap News Agency