What treatment will Kim Woo-min receive for his shoulder injury?

Kim Woo-min will undergo rehabilitation and low-intensity training instead of surgery. Doctors will test his shoulder every two or three weeks during the recovery process.

When is Kim Woo-min expected to return to major competition?

Kim is preparing for the 2027 world championships in Budapest, scheduled for June. He is expected to be ready to seek his third individual medal at the competition.

How did Kim Woo-min’s shoulder injury affect his Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games schedule?

Kim aggravated his shoulder during the men’s 1,500m freestyle final on Sept. 22, still swam in the 4x100m freestyle relay heats two days later, and then did not compete again during the Asian Games.

Swimmer Kim Woo-min avoids surgery on injured shoulder, set for rehab

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Summary

Kim Woo-min will avoid surgery on his injured left shoulder and begin rehabilitation to prepare for next year’s world championships. Doctors reached the decision after testing the Olympic bronze medalist following the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where he competed with partially torn labrum and rotator cuff. He will undergo tests every two or three weeks during rehab and low-intensity training.

Key Facts

Kim helped South Korea win bronze in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay on Sept. 21 and silver in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay after swimming in the heats on Sept. 24.
Kim won the 2024 world title and 2024 Olympic bronze in the men’s 400m freestyle, then earned bronze in the event in 2025.
The 2027 world championships are scheduled for June in Budapest, where Kim is expected to pursue his third individual medal.
China’s Zhang Zhanshuo won seven gold medals at the Asian Games, including record-setting victories in the 400m and 800m freestyle.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 12, 2026 3:00 pm KST

Olympic swimming medalist Kim Woo-min participates in the men's 400m freestyle swimming at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian games, Sept. 24. Yonhap

Olympic swimming medalist Kim Woo-min will not need surgery on his injured left shoulder as originally feared, his agency said Monday, with the 25-year-old set for a rehab to prepare for next year's world championships.

An official with All That Sports said Kim went through tests after the recent Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where he competed through partially torn labrum and rotator cuff, and doctors concluded that the swimmer will not require surgery after all.

Instead, Kim will be tested after every two or three weeks as he goes through rehab and low-intensity training, the official added.

Kim is the 2024 Olympic bronze medalist in the men's 400-meter freestyle event who also won three gold medals at the 2023 Asian Games. At this year's Asiad, Kim competed through his injury in the men's 4x200m freestyle relay and helped South Korea take bronze on Sept. 21, before aggravating shoulder issues in the men's 1,500m final the next day.

Kim still raced in the heats for the men's 4x100m freestyle relay on the morning of Sept. 24, with South Korea going on to win silver in the final. Kim did not swim again the rest of the Asian Games.

Kim won the 2024 world title in the 400m freestyle and picked up bronze in the same race in 2025. With the 2027 competition scheduled for June in Budapest, Kim is expected to be ready to go for his third individual medal.

With Kim unable to defend his Asian Games gold medals in the 400m and 800m freestyle this year, Zhang Zhanshuo of China emerged as the new force at age 19. Zhang swept up seven gold medals, and won both the 400m and 800m freestyle gold medals in Asian Games record times.

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