The official website for the 2025 Harbin Winter Asian Games lists North Korean figure skater Ro Yeong Myong’s English name as RO Yong Myong. Initially, there was confusion about the correct Korean spelling of his name, but it has now been confirmed as Yeong Myong. North Korean coach Kim Hyun Sun provided this clarification directly.
North Korea typically romanizes the Korean character “영” (Yeong) as Yong, which led to uncertainty about whether the skater’s name should be spelled Ro Yeong Myong or Ro Yong Myong. This ambiguity confused reporters, as no additional Korean materials were available to confirm the correct spelling.
Journalists repeatedly tried to clarify Ro Yong Myong’s name when they encountered North Korean officials in the mixed zone. However, despite persistent questioning, their attempts were met with blank expressions and no answers.
The mystery was finally resolved on the day Ro Yong Myong completed his men’s singles free skate, which marked the end of all official events for the North Korean delegation at the Games.
During the final interview opportunity, when asked about Ro Yong Myong’s name, Coach Kim Hyun Sun reluctantly gestured with his finger to form an O, confirming that Yeong was indeed the correct pronunciation.
Kim even offered a slight smile, seemingly amused by the reporters’ persistent efforts to confirm the name.
Ro Yong Myong finished his competition with a total score of 205.16 points, securing a respectable 6th place in the men’s figure skating event.