Will Choi Min-jeong Compete in the Seoul Short Track World Tour? Ranked 1 on the National Team, but the November Entry List Is Still Pending
Choi Min-jeong has been selected for the national short track speed skating team for the 2026\~27 season and has secured priority eligibility to compete in individual and team events at international competitions. However, as of 2026-09-23, the final athlete-by-athlete entry list for the Seoul World Tour scheduled for November 20\~22 has not been publicly confirmed. It is therefore too early to say that her participation in the Seoul event is confirmed.
The most accurate description of her current status is “selected as a key national team athlete eligible to compete in the Seoul World Tour, with the final event-specific entry list still pending.”
Choi Min-jeong Has Secured Both National Team Selection and Eligibility for Individual Events
Choi Min-jeong finished 1 overall in the women's national team selection trials for the 2026\~27 season. Across the 1 and 2 selection trials, she placed 1 in 5 of the 6 events, securing priority eligibility for individual and team events at international competitions in the new season alongside Kim Gil-li and Shim Suk-hee.
Therefore, the question of whether Choi Min-jeong has been selected for the national team has already been answered.
Her national team selection is confirmed, and she is among the athletes with the highest priority for individual event participation.
As things stand, the three key women's national team athletes eligible for individual events at international competitions are as follows.
| Category | Athlete | Confirmed Information |
|---|---|---|
| Women | Kim Gil-li | Automatically selected based on results at the 2026 World Championships |
| Women | Choi Min-jeong | Ranked 1 overall in the national team selection trials |
| Women | Shim Suk-hee | Ranked 2 overall in the national team selection trials |
Kim Gil-li was automatically selected based on her World Championships results, while Choi Min-jeong and Shim Suk-hee earned eligibility for individual events at international competitions through the selection trials.
Why Is Her Participation in the Seoul World Tour Still Not Confirmed?
Selection for the national team and inclusion in the final entry list for a specific World Tour event are two different stages.
Even after an athlete has been selected for the national team, the most reliable way to verify participation in a particular competition is to check the entry list submitted for that event. This is because the lineup may vary depending on athletes' physical condition, national team management plans, and other factors.
The official International Skating Union (ISU) short track event page checked on September 23 lists the Seoul World Tour as World Tour Event 3, taking place in Seoul on November 2026 20\~22. However, the publicly available event listing does not yet provide an athlete-by-athlete entry list.
The current situation can be summarized as follows.
Choi Min-jeong's selection for the 2026\~27 national team: Confirmed
Priority eligibility for individual and team events at international competitions: Secured
Seoul World Tour event: Confirmed
Choi Min-jeong's final entry for the Seoul World Tour: Further verification required
Therefore, stating that “Choi Min-jeong's participation in Seoul is confirmed” based solely on news of her national team selection would be premature.
The Seoul World Tour Is Indeed Scheduled for November 20\~22
The Seoul competition currently listed on the ISU's dedicated short track calendar is World Tour Event 3, running from 2026-11-20 through 22.
The subsequent Asian events are also scheduled consecutively.
| World Tour | Host City | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Event 3 | Seoul | November 20\~22 |
| Event 4 | Shanghai | November 27\~29 |
| Event 5 | Beijing | December 4\~6 |
Both the official ISU short track calendar and U.S. Speedskating's broadcast schedule list the Seoul event for November 20\~22.
In other words, the Asian World Tour segment will run for 3 consecutive weeks, beginning in Seoul and continuing through Shanghai and Beijing.
Why This Season Is Particularly Important for Choi Min-jeong
The 2026\~27 season is expected to be Choi Min-jeong's final season representing South Korea on the national team.
During the national team selection trials in April, Choi Min-jeong announced her intention to end her national team career after this season. She also acknowledged the significance of the new season's World Tour when asked whether it would effectively serve as her farewell tour with the national team.
This naturally increases interest in whether she will compete in the Seoul World Tour.
However, the Seoul World Tour in November cannot necessarily be considered Choi Min-jeong's final international competition in Seoul.
The ISU calendar also lists the Short Track World Championships as taking place in Seoul on March 2027 12\~14.
Choi Min-jeong has also said that the 2027 World Championships in Seoul influenced her decision about when to retire from the national team.
If she completes the season as planned, the expected sequence can be viewed as follows.
November 2026 Seoul World Tour → 2026\~27 season World Tour competitions → March 2027 Seoul World Championships
For fans in Seoul, this means there is a possibility of watching Choi Min-jeong compete internationally on home ice twice within a single season. However, her actual participation in both competitions must be confirmed separately once the official entry lists are released.
Which Other South Korean Athletes Should Fans Watch at the Seoul Event?
In the women's competition, Kim Gil-li, Choi Min-jeong, and Shim Suk-hee have secured priority eligibility for individual events at international competitions.
In the men's competition, Lim Jong-eon, who was automatically selected based on his results at the 2026 World Championships, and Lee Jeong-min and Kim Tae-sung, who finished near the top of the national team selection rankings, have earned eligibility for individual events at international competitions in the new season.
The Seoul World Tour is also significant because it will be an international competition on home ice early in the new Olympic cycle following the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics.
Which athletes will actually appear on the Seoul entry list must be verified against the official roster when it is released.
What Matters Now Is the Seoul Event Entry List, Not Just the National Team Roster
When checking whether Choi Min-jeong will compete in the Seoul World Tour, the most important reference is not simply the national team roster.
The final Seoul event entry list published by the ISU or the Korea Skating Union is the most direct source of confirmation.
Based on the information available as of September 23, Choi Min-jeong has secured both national team selection and eligibility to compete in individual events at international competitions. However, until the final athlete-by-athlete entry list for the Seoul World Tour is published, it is important to distinguish between a “key national team athlete who may compete” and an “athlete officially confirmed to compete in Seoul.”
And the World Tour will not be the end of international short track competition in Seoul.
Approximately four months later, the Seoul Short Track World Championships are scheduled for March 2027 12\~14. Fans who want to follow Choi Min-jeong's announced final season on the national team should check not only the entry list for the November World Tour but also whether she will compete in the 2027 World Championships.
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