South Korean gold medallist Hwang Daeheon set for ‘fried chicken pension’ after Winter Olympics

As he leaves Beijing with two Winter Olympic medals, South Korean speed skater Hwang Daeheon sounds giddy about a “fried chicken pension” waiting at home.

Hwang, who won the gold in the men’s 1500m and a silver in the 5000m, has been promised a lifetime supply of fried chicken by food industry tycoon Yoon Hong-geun, chairman of the BBQ delivery franchise.

Yoon served as the chief of South Korea’s athletic mission at the Games.

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“The first thing I want to do is confirm that my fried chicken pension is real,” Hwang told reporters about his plans when returning home.

Yoon is also chairman of South Korea’s Skating Union.

He said in an Instagram post last week that he had lightheartedly offered Hwang, a fried chicken enthusiast, a lifetime supply of BBQ chicken if he won a gold in Beijing.

“And he really came back with a gold,” Yoon wrote beneath a photo of him posing with Hwang after the 1500m finals.

It wasn’t immediately clear how BBQ plans to provide chicken to Hwang or whether the company intends to give chicken to other South Korean medallists as well.

BBQ officials didn’t return multiple calls seeking comment.

As of Friday evening, South Korea had two golds, four silvers and a bronze in Beijing, all from skating events.

Yoon had also promised cash rewards for medals.

South Korea, which has long associated Olympic performances with national pride, rewards medal winners with lifelong government payments.

Male athletes who win Olympic medals are also exempted from approximately two years of military service required for most able-bodied men.

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