Korea abruptly called off plans to sign its first foreign coach for its national speed skating team after judging the trainer unfit for the position, the sport's national governing body said.

After announcing plans to sign former U.S. speed skater Peter Mueller Tuesday morning, the Korea Skating Union (KSU) retracted its statement in the afternoon and said that he was deemed unqualified to guide the national speed skating team as problems were discovered during a background check on the 57-year-old coach.

The KSU said it will continue to scout for a foreign coach to direct its speed skating team in hopes of bolstering its medal prospects for the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics. (Yonhap)