Wu Dajing of China celebrates victory after men's 500m final of short track speed skating at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena, Gangneung, South Korea on Feb 22, 2018. Wu Dajing claimed gold medal in a time of 0:39.584 and set new world record. Photo: Xinhua/Wang Haofei

A South Korean short-track speed Olympic winner has reportedly naturalized as a Chinese citizen and will represent China to participate in the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games, which sparks  controversy in both China and South Korea.

Lim Hyo-jun, 24, the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics gold medalist in the men's 1,500m short track, has decided to naturalize as a Chinese citizen and continue his career as an athlete in the Chinese national team, according to Yonhap News Agency on Sunday.

Lim, who has accepted the proposal of the Chinese Skating Association (CSA), is going through the naturalization process, a source from Lim's side is reported to have said. Lim thought he might not be selected for the South Korean national team. He was eager to compete in the Olympics and decided to become a Chinese citizen after careful consideration, the source said.

An employee from the CSA told the Global Times on Sunday that the association has not yet decided how to respond to this matter.

In June 2019, Lim reportedly forcibly and publicly pulled down the trousers of his male teammate Hwang Dae-heon and was sentenced to one-year imprisonment and two-year probation.

On January 24, media reported that Lim hoped he could continue to carry out activities in China as an athlete when asked about whether he was willing to continue his sports career in China, although it was not an official application for naturalization.

Lim's decision has caused outrage in South Korea, but won support from Chinese netizens, who commented "welcome to join the big family." Some netizens hope he could win for China in the Beijing Winter Olympics. 

Meanwhile, some netizens questioned whether Lim was eligible to represent China in the upcoming Olympic Winter Games. "Is Chinese citizenship that easy to get?" asked a netizen.

According to the Olympic Charter, a competitor who has changed his nationality or acquired a new nationality may participate in the Olympic Games to represent his new country provided that at least three years have passed since the competitor last represented his former country. 

However, this period may be reduced or even canceled, with the agreement of the National Olympic Committees and the International Federation concerned, by the International Olympic Committee Executive Board, which takes into account the circumstances of each case.