When South Korea hosts the International Skating Union (ISU) World Sprint Speed Skating Championships this weekend, Kim Min-sun and Kim Tae-yun, two of the country's most promising young skaters, won't be feeling a lot of pressure, knowing they won't be expected to reach the podium against the world's fastest on ice.

Instead, they want to show promise for the future before home fans at Taereung International Skating Rink in Seoul, the kind of potential that could be realized in the form of an Olympic medal on home ice in PyeongChang two years from now.

Kim Min-sun, a 16-year-old phenom, made headlines earlier this month by winning the women's 500m gold at the Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Dubbed "Little Lee Sang-hwa" after the two-time reigning Olympic 500m champion and world record holder, Kim said she still has a lot to do to catch up to her role model.

"There are more races coming up, and my goal this week is to experience what it's like to compete at an international event of this magnitude," Kim said at the pre-competition press conference at the rink. "Though I am still young, I want to show people my potential for further development. I won't be trying to beat anyone in particular. I just want to post times that I can be satisfied with."

The teenager said she'd like to improve her power and her posture so she can follow in Lee's footsteps. Lee, who isn't competing this week after losing her national team eligibility, is the first South Korean female to win an Olympic speed skating gold, and recently captured her third 500m title at the ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships in Russia.

"Even up against the best of the best, Lee always records a really good split over the first 100m," Kim said. "That's one of my weak areas, and I'd like to become as fast. She has also stayed at the top of her game for a long time, and I admire her longevity and consistency."

Kim Tae-yun, 21, hasn't quite garnered the spotlight that Kim Min-sun has, but his progress has been no less impressive. At the single distances championships, Kim finished sixth in the 500m and ninth in the 1,000m, both the best showings of his young career.

If Kim Min-sun has the makings of a new Lee Sang-hwa, then Kim Tae-yun may just become the next Mo Tae-bum, who won the 2010 Olympic gold in the 500m and later added two world titles in the same distance.

"I don't mind that moniker," Kim said of the veteran who pulled out of the competition with a back injury. "I don't know if I can surpass his records, but I will do my best. I need to have more racing experience and keep working harder and harder."

Kim said he isn't realistically looking to win a medal on home ice this week, but he's eyeing "a top-five finish."

"For this season, I've improved my agility and power," he added. "I think I've gotten much better over the first 100m. But I am not feeling any pressure at this competition." (Yonhap)