Beijing, China, February 2, 2022: Korea has switched one of its flag bearers for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics on Friday, February 4.
The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) announced that female short track speed skater Kim A-lang would replace speed skater Kim Min-sun.
Kwak Yoon-gy will continue as the male flag bearer in the IOC initiative for gender equity to have a female and male flag bearer.
The KSOC said Kim Min-sun had asked to be replaced after her initial announcement last Friday but provided no further details, reports Yonhap News.
Kim A-lang has won the women's 3,000m relay gold medal at each of the past two Winter Olympics. Beijing will be the third Winter Games for the 26-year-old short tracker.
Kwak, 32, won a relay silver medal at Vancouver 2010 and, after missing out on the Sochi Games in 2014 with injuries, returned to the ice for PyeongChang 2018. This will be Kwak's third and final Olympics.