Kim Gilli (center) on Feb. 20 at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan jumps to celebrate her gold medal in the women's 1,500-m short track at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy with runner-up compatriot Choi Minjeong (left) and bronze medalist Corinne Stoddard of the U.S. (Yonhap News)

By Koh Hyunjeong

The women's short track team took first and second place in the 1,500 m at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.

Kim Gilli on Feb. 20 won the event at the Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan and Choi Minjeong was runner-up.

Kim is Korea's only double gold medalist of the Games, winning her first the day before in the 3,000-m relay.

Choi's silver in the 1,500 m and gold in the relay gave her seven career medals (four gold and three silver), breaking the record for the most won by a Korean athlete in either the Winter or Summer Olympics.

For the men, the team of Rim Jongun, Hwang Daeheon, Shin Dong Min, Lee Jeongmin and Lee Juneseo on Feb. 20 won the silver in the 5,000-m relay for the second straight Winter Olympics.

President Lee Jae Myung hailed the national team on Facebook, writing, "I sincerely congratulate the men short track team's silver medal in the 5,000-m relay, Kim Gilli's gold and Choi Minjeong's silver."

"This proves again that the Republic of Korea is the world's strongest."

Korea finished 13th overall in medal standings at the Winter Olympics with three gold, four silver and three bronze.

hjkoh@korea.kr