By Paul Osborne in Seoul

Yuna Kim attends her retirement medal launch ceremony at Changjeon-dong in Seoul on Monday ©The Chosunilbo JNS/Multi-Bits/Getty ImagesApril 28 - South Korean figure skating star Yuna Kim has held a launch event for medals commemorating her retirement from the sport after twice postponing the event due to the Sewol ferry disaster.

The Vancouver 2010 Olympic champion and Sochi 2014 silver medallist was set to unveil the medals at a ceremony on April 18 however, due to the tragedy of the Sewol ferry, which sank off the coast of South Korea while carrying 476 passengers on April 16, the skating star postponed the event.

A proposed rescheduled date of April 21 was again pushed back due the ongoing traumas associated with the ferry.

The launch of the medals has now been been officially held in Changjeon-dong with Kim, wearing a black dress and a yellow ribbon to show respect to those affected by the tragic accident, expressing her condolences to the families of victims.

The profits from the medals, of which there are four - one gold, two silver and one white bronze – were originally planned to go towards youth figure skating across South Korea, however, a portion of the money will now be donated to the victims of the ferry disaster.

Following news of the ferry accident, Kim donated 100 million won ($96,000/£57,200/€69,400) to UNICEF to help survivors and families of victims.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
April 2014: South Korea ferry disaster forces Yuna Kim to postpone release of commemorative medals