Lim Hyo-joon, a gold medalist in short track speed skating at the Pyeongchang Olympics, is known to have acquired Chinese citizenship. After completing the special naturalization process in China, Lim Hyo-joon left for China yesterday after receiving a Chinese passport, and will join the Chinese short track national team training as soon as he finishes self-isolation. If Lim Hyo-joon passes the Chinese short track speed skating competition, he will compete in the Beijing Winter Olympics next year.
Lim Hyo-joon was indicted two years ago on charges of pulling male junior A’s pants to reveal his body parts during the national team’s training, and was fined 3 million won in the first trial, but he was acquitted in the second trial at the end of last year and is currently waiting for the Supreme Court’s ruling. Lim Hyo-joon, who has not been able to train well without his team for the past year, is now suspended from the Korea Skating Union’s one-year suspension, but if the Supreme Court overturns his decision, the punishment will resume and he will not be able to participate in next year’s Beijing Olympics.