GANGNEUNG (Yonhap) -- South Korean Lee Seung-hoon sustained an apparent leg injury in a fall during the world championships Friday.

   Lee lost his balance trying to turn a corner and fell in the latter stage of the men's team pursuit race at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships at Gangneung Oval in Gangneung, Gangwon Province.

   Lee, who helped South Korea to the team pursuit silver at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, stayed on the ice for a few minutes to receive treatment on his injured right leg, and was later stretchered off the ice.

   According to an official from the Korea Skating Union (KSU), Lee suffered a cut to his right calf, but didn't appear to have sustained any structural damage. Lee was scheduled to undergo further tests at a local hospital.

   He and his two teammates, Joo Hyong-jun and Kim Min-seok, had been considered a medal hopeful in the team pursuit here. They won a silver and a bronze in three ISU World Cup team pursuit races this season to rank sixth overall.

   In team pursuit, a set of three skaters compete over eight laps for men and six laps for women. The team is timed when the last of the three skaters crosses the line.

   Lee, former Olympic 10,000m champion, is also slated to compete in the mass start here on Sunday. He is the current world No. 1 in that event, but his status for that race remains unknown. The injury may also affect Lee's status for the Asian Winter Games set to start on Feb. 19 in Sapporo, Japan.

   The Netherlands won the men's team pursuit title in 3:40.66, while New Zealand finished second in 3:41.08 and Norway took the bronze in 3:41.60.

   Earlier Friday, South Korea finished fifth among eight teams in the women's team pursuit. The trio of Kim Bo-reum, Noh Seon-yeong and Park Ji-woo finished their race in 3:02.95.

   The Netherlands won the gold in 2:55.85, followed by Japan (2:56.50) and Russia (3:00.51).

   The Netherlands has swept up five gold medals in six events after two days of competition here.