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Shooter Jin Jong-oh apologizes for 'terrorist' comment

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Shooter Jin Jong-oh arrives at the Incheon International Airport after ending his competition at the Olympics in Tokyo, Saturday. Yonhap
Shooter Jin Jong-oh arrives at the Incheon International Airport after ending his competition at the Olympics in Tokyo, Saturday. Yonhap

By Lee Min-hyung

Shooter Jin Jong-oh has apologized for his "inappropriate comments" on Iranian 10-meter air pistol gold medalist, Javad Foroughi, who has been accused of being a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the United States labelled a terrorist organization in 2019.

Last week, Jin criticized of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for "allowing a terrorist to win the top spot at the Olympics."

But the remark has drawn criticism from the public, as the comment did not show any respect for his competitor even if the Iranian athlete was at the center of a controversy.

"I express my apology to Foroughi," Jin said on his social network platform, Saturday. "I respect the Olympic champion."

The message came a day after the Iranian Embassy in Korea urged people here to stop criticizing Foroughi. It argued that the IRGC "has played a crucial role in protecting Iran's territory and people as the official military force in the country."

"I was not careful enough to check out the facts over some reports (on Foroughi), and I should also have been more considerate," Jin said.

Jin, 42, has so far clinched a total of four gold and two silver medals at the Olympics, but failed to continue his winning streak in Tokyo.



Lee Min-hyung mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr


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