Minister YU congratulated swimmers HWANG Sun Woo, LEE Ho Jun, YANG Jae Hun, LEE Yu Yeon, KIM Su Ji, LEE Jae Kyung

Korean Swimming Makes First Entry into Top 10 at the World Aquatics Championships

On March 7 (Thur), Minister YU In Chon of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) met with swimmers HWANG Sun Woo, LEE Ho Jun, YANG Jae Hun, LEE Yu Yeon, KIM Su Ji, and LEE Jae Kyung, congratulating them for reaching the “Top 8 in the World” in swimming at the “Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships” and making a new historical feat for Korea.

The World Aquatics–hosted Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships is a qualifying event for the “2024 Paris Olympics.” Korean team  has secured 10 Olympic spots (6 in diving, 3 in swimming, 1 in artistic swimming). In this championship, Korea achieved two gold medals, one silver medal, and two bronze medals, placing 8th overall. This marks the first time Korea has entered the top 10 in the World Championships, surpassing its previous best of ranking 13th at the 2007 Melbourne Championships (1 gold, 1 bronze).

HWANG Sun Woo bagged the gold medal in the men’s 200-m freestyle, the first Korean to do so, and KIM Woo Min also secured gold in the men’s 400-m freestyle, marking Korea’s first gold in the long course event in 13 years. Furthermore, HWANG Sun Woo, KIM Woo Min, LEE Ho Jun, YANG Jae Hun, and LEE Yu Yeon each secured a silver medal in the men’s 800-m freestyle relay, the first-ever team medal in World Championships history for Korea.

In the Olympic event of the women’s 3-m springboard, KIM Su Ji won a bronze medal, and together with LEE Jae Kyung, they bagged another bronze in the mixed synchronized 3-m springboard, making this Korea’s first-ever synchronized diving medal.

Minister YU In Chon stated, “Through the Doha World Aquatics Championships, our athletes have laid a solid foundation to showcase a remarkable performance at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics in five months. We expect more swimming stars to emerge not only in swimming but also in diving and artistic swimming. Together with the nation, we will cheer for our athletes’ excellence.”