Kim Yoon-ji, 19, makes history with Korea's first Winter Paralympics gold by a woman
South Korea’s Kim Yoon-ji, a 19-year-old Paralympic debutant, won four medals at the Milano-Cortina d’Ampezzo 2026 Winter Paralympics, including the nation’s first gold in women’s biathlon at the Winter Paralympics.
Kim earned gold on March 8 in the women’s 12.5-kilometer biathlon, becoming the first Korean woman to win a Winter Paralympics gold medal. Her performance marked a milestone for Korea’s para-sport program.
She added three silver medals over the following days: on March 10 in the women’s cross-country sprint, on March 11 in the women’s cross-country interval start, and on the preceding day in the women’s biathlon sprint pursuit for seated classification.
In total, Kim has four medals at these Games: one gold and three silvers. She is scheduled to compete in the 20-kilometer cross-country interval start on March 15.
President Lee Jae-myung congratulated Kim on Facebook, saying she set a new record for the most medals won by an individual in a single event and praising her “astonishing” achievement in her first Winter Paralympics. He urged her to bring her best performance to the upcoming 20-kilometer race.
The president also offered warm encouragement to Korea’s wheelchair curling mixed four-person team, which finished in fourth place, saying they deserved strong applause for their performance.
For U.S. readers, Kim’s success highlights how South Korea is expanding its prominence in winter Paralympic sports, including biathlon and cross-country skiing. The results reflect investment in athlete development and adaptive-sports programs that could inform international collaboration, training exchanges, and disability inclusion efforts across markets and policymakers.
Milano-Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, is hosting the Winter Paralympics this year, with events ranging from Nordic skiing to biathlon. Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has publicly shared and celebrated these achievements as part of its domestic sport-and-culture objectives, signaling continued emphasis on para-athlete excellence.