LG Corp. announced on the 13th that it has officially launched “LG Future Slide,” a program to nurture skeleton prospects, and “LG Hockey Dreams,” an ice hockey development program.
“LG Future Slide” is a step-by-step development program that guides athletes from their introduction to the sport all the way to selection for the national team. In partnership with the Korea Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, LG Corp. will operate programs such as the △Draft Combine, △Skeleton Training Sessions, and △Start Competitions.
The Draft Combine is a program that tours middle schools, high schools, and universities to assess students’ athletic abilities and identify talented individuals with high potential as skeleton athletes. The program then supports participants in gaining practical experience through training camps and introductory competitions. While the national skeleton team has achieved success on the international stage—including a gold medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics—a relatively shallow talent pool has long been cited as a challenge.
In ice hockey, LG Corp. operates the “LG Hockey Dreams” program in partnership with the Korea Ice Hockey Association. The program consists of: △ a Goalie Camp where coaches from global leagues teach technical skills; △ scholarships for promising players to support their entry into overseas leagues; and △ a Tryout Camp to select the national team for the 2028 Winter Youth Olympics.
From the 10th to the 13th of this month, LG Corp. also held a Goalie Camp, inviting international coaches from global leagues—including the National Hockey League (NHL)—to teach defensive techniques to elite middle school goalies in Korea.
In addition, LG Corp. is extending its sponsorship agreements with the national skeleton and ice hockey teams through 2030. LG Corp. has served as the main sponsor of the national skeleton team since 2015, and in ice hockey, it has continued its support—starting with the women’s national team in 2016—to include both the men’s and women’s national teams as well as the youth national teams.
Skeleton and ice hockey are sports that entail significant financial burdens due to expensive equipment, overseas training camps, and participation in international competitions. Over the past decade, LG Corp. has provided support to improve equipment and training environments. The number of registered skeleton athletes has more than doubled compared to 2014, and the national team has won over 130 medals on the international stage, including at the Olympics and World Championships.
The national ice hockey team has also expanded from four teams in 2014 to a total of seven today, including men’s and women’s senior teams and age-group youth teams. At the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics, the South Korean women’s ice hockey team won a silver medal—the first in the history of the sport.
An LG Corp. official stated, “We find it meaningful to nurture promising athletes in skeleton and ice hockey and to contribute to the development and growth of these sports,” adding, “We will continue to provide steady support to expand the base of these sports.”
