Coach Covers Female Athlete with Towel, Athlete Frowns... Marathon Event Sparks Sexual Harassment Controversy

On the morning of the 23rd in Songdo, Incheon, Lee Soo-min of Samcheok City Hall claimed first place in the domestic women's division at the 2025 Incheon International Marathon, finishing in 2 hours, 35 minutes, and 41 seconds. The controversy arose when, immediately after Lee crossed the finish line and appeared to stumble forward, Kim Wan-gi, coach of Samcheok City Hall, reached out from behind to steady her—a moment captured on the broadcast.
As Lee slowed down after crossing the finish line, Coach Kim wrapped a towel around her upper body. During this, Lee pushed Kim away with her arm and appeared visibly uncomfortable, leading to speculation that her reaction was due to excessive physical contact.
Viewers who watched the broadcast shared screenshots of the incident online, claiming, "Compared to other athletes, the contact seemed excessive. The athlete's expression says it all," and accused the coach of sexual harassment.
Others countered that, "He was simply trying to support her to prevent her from collapsing," and argued that it was wrong to criticize him based on an overinterpretation. At the center of the controversy, Coach Kim is a figure known for winning the Best Rookie Award at the 1988 National Relay Race, claiming victory at the 1990 Seoul Marathon (2:11:34), and finishing second at the 1994 Seoul Marathon (2:08:34, then a Korean record), marking the heyday of Korean marathon running in the 1990s.
From 1990 to 1997, he competed as a national team member alongside runners like Hwang Young-cho and Lee Bong-ju.
At the 1992 Summer Olympics (Barcelona 1992), he ran with Hwang Young-cho, who won the gold medal, finishing 28th himself.
He was also part of the national team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta with Lee Bong-ju.
[email protected] Kim Hee-sun Reporter