South Korea on Thursday tapped a former coach of the Dutch junior national team to lead its speed skating squad.

The Korea Skating Union announced that Erik Bouwman, a native of the Czech Republic, will be the new speed skating head coach.

Bouwman worked with young Dutch skaters after his competing days ended and developed future Olympic gold medalists Bob de Jong and Jan Blokhuijsen.

In March, the Netherlands swept eight gold medals at the world junior championships.

The Netherlands dominated speed skating at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, picking up eight gold medals and 23 medals in total.

Through the KSU, Bouwman said he considered it an honor and a challenge to coach talented South Korean skaters, and that he hoped to put his experience with the Dutch skaters to good use in his new position. (Yonhap)