TAIPEI, Taiwan — In a groundbreaking moment for South Korean figure skating, 15-year-old Seo Min-kyu secured the men's title at the 2024 International Skating Union Junior World Figure Skating Championships on Saturday. This victory marks him as the first male Korean athlete to win at this prestigious event.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Seo achieved a total score of 150.17 points, comprising a technical score of 73.45 and an artistic score of 76.72, at the Taipei Arena. He narrowly surpassed Japan's Nakata Rio by 1.44 points. This win is particularly significant as it ends an 18-year hiatus since a Korean skater last stood atop the podium at this competition, a feat last accomplished by Kim Yu-na in 2006. Prior to Seo's triumph, the closest a Korean male skater came to winning was Cha Jun-hwan, who finished fifth in 2017.