S. korean: $34,700 reward for Olympic gold medal
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South Korean Winter Olympic athletes, including gold-medalist figure skater Kim Yu-na's Canadian coach, will be rewarded financially by the government for their performance at the Vancouver Olympics, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday.
The ministry said the South Korean Olympians who won gold medals will receive a prize money of 40 million won (34,692 U.S. dollars), while silver medalists and bronze medalists will get 20 million won (17,353 U.S. dollars) and 12 million won (10,412 U.S. dollars), respectively.
Brian Orser, the Canadian coach of gold-medalist figure skater Kim Yu-na, has also been offered 30 million won (26,030 U.S. dollars) from the ministry, as he is also slated to receive 15 million won (13,014 U.S. dollars) from Lee Kun-hee, former Samsung Group chairman and International Olympic Committee member, who promised to pay the athletes half of government's prize money.
The South Korean Winter Olympic squad has garnered a record- high 14 medals at the Vancouver Games, resulting in the highest- ever, fifth-place finish.
