Home > Sports > Olympic Sports

Former figure skater Lee Soo-kyung goes from axels to admin as Team Korea's Olympic leader

Published: 22 Jan. 2026, 15:36 Updated: 23 Jan. 2026, 13:11

Lee Soo-kyung, Korea's chef de mission for the 2026 Winter Olympics, poses during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at the Olympic Hall in southern Seoul on Jan. 20. [KIM JONG-HO]

Lee Soo-kyung, president of the Korea Skating Union, will serve as chef de mission for Korea at the Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics in February, drawing on her experience as a former figure skater and sports administrator to prioritize athlete support and on-site decision-making.

A chef de mission is the head of a country’s Olympic delegation who oversees team operations during the Games, including logistics, athlete welfare and coordination with organizers.

Lee, 42, is not only the first female chef de mission for Korea across both Winter and Summer Olympics, but also the first to take the role in the Winter Games after a career as an athlete.

“I will not place importance on the title of ‘first woman’ and will instead aim to be recognized as a capable team leader,” Lee said during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at the Olympic Hall in southern Seoul on Tuesday. “As a former athlete, I have a deep understanding of winter sports and can quickly grasp what athletes are feeling.

“I have watched [figure skater] Cha Jun-hwan since he was a high school student. I will take care of the athletes like a mother so they can compete with peace of mind,” the mother of two sons added.

Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan trains at the Taereung International Ice Rink in northern Seoul on Jan. 8. [YONHAP]

Cha is competing at this year's Winter Olympics on the back of a notable career, during which he became the first Korean male figure skater to win a gold medal at the Asian Winter Games in 2025 before going on to become the first Korean man to qualify in the discipline for three straight Winter Games since Jung Sung-il in 1994.

Lee also showcased her talent as a figure skater, winning two gold medals in the women's singles at the National Sports Festival in 2004 and 2006.

Lee pointed to the growing presence of women leaders in international sports. International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry is also the first woman to take the position.

“When I met President Coventry last year, we talked about how our children both do figure skating,” Lee said.

Lee Soo-kyung, Korea's chef de mission for the 2026 Winter Olympics, poses during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo at the Olympic Hall in southern Seoul on Jan. 20. [KIM JONG-HO]

Prior to taking the chef de mission role, Lee served as head of the Korean figure skating team at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics on home turf. At the time, she said she felt shocked after seeing the Japanese delegation secure a separate practice rink while official Olympic training sessions remained limited.

“For our athletes, I visited Milan in June last year and reserved another figure skating training rink about a 30-minute drive away,” Lee said.

With this year's competition spread across four main regions, Lee said she plans to divide travel routes with Korean Sport and Olympic Committee President Ryu Seung-min and prepare rice cake soup for athletes during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Team Korea poses for a photo during a media day event at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, North Chungcheong, on Jan. 7. [YONHAP]

Lee has expressed her desire to confront controversial officiating calls involving Korean athletes, which drew criticism during the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

During the men’s 1,000-meter short track semifinals at the Beijing Olympics, two Korean skaters were disqualified after crossing the line at the front of the pack, following rulings on illegal passing and lane changes. The decisions allowed Chinese skaters to advance, sparking protests from Korea that were later rejected by the International Skating Union.

"I heard organizers plan to increase the number of review cameras inside venues,” Lee said. “I have served as an international figure skating judge since 2021 and understand the process for protesting unfair decisions. If judging controversies arise, I will respond quickly and address them.”

Korea finished 14th overall at the Beijing Olympics with two gold medals, five silver and two bronze.

“Our goal this time is at least three gold medals,” Lee said. "We expect gold medals from the men’s individual short track event, the women’s relay, the mixed relay and snowboarder Choi Ga-on.

"I heard that JTBC, which holds exclusive broadcast rights, plans to have near all-day Olympic programming during the Games. People can also watch through the [internet platform] Naver, so I hope many will catch the action."

As chef de mission, Lee remains focused on improving conditions for athletes. She recently felt disheartened after seeing mold inside part of the Taereung International Ice Rink during the National Winter Sports Festival.

“The fact that our athletes compete on the world stage despite difficult circumstances is already impressive,” Lee said. “The public's support will give them great strength.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK LIN [[email protected]]