![Forget the Denmark defeat... Women's curling 'Team Kim', secures 3rd preliminary win with victory over Japan [Milan Cortina 2026] - Seoul Economic Daily Sports News from South Korea](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.sedaily.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2026%2F02%2F16%2Frcv.YNA.20260215.PYH2026021507150001300_P1.jpg&w=3840&q=75 "South Korea Women's Curling Defeats Japan 7-5, Secures Third Win")
The South Korean women's curling team defeated arch-rival Japan in their fifth match at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, recording their third round-robin victory.
South Korea, comprising skip Kim Eun-ji, third Kim Min-ji, second Kim Su-ji, lead Seol Ye-eun, and fifth Seol Ye-ji, beat Japan 7-5 in their fifth round-robin match at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, on February 14 local time.
Having lost 3-6 to Denmark in their previous match to stand at 2 wins and 2 losses, South Korea's victory boosted their semifinal prospects with a third win.
In women's curling, 10 teams compete in round-robin preliminary play, with the top four advancing to the semifinals to compete for medals.
The two teams battled evenly through six ends, tied at 3-3.
The balance shifted in the eighth end when South Korea had the hammer. South Korea scored multiple points with composed play, extending their lead to 6-3.
South Korea held Japan to 2 points in the ninth end and added 1 point in the final tenth end to close out the match.
South Korea will face China in their sixth round-robin match on February 17 Korea time.