Cho is back to coaching just four months after receiving a lifetime ban from the Korea Skating Union for hitting Shim Suk-hee, one of the country's biggest short track stars, during practice.

The incident happened weeks before the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, but Shim regrouped in time to help South Korea capture the gold medal in the women's 3,000-meter relay. It was Shim's second consecutive Olympic title in the relay event.

Though Cho is free to work outside South Korea, his presence on the rink side for China during international races will likely cause a distraction among South Korean skaters. The two countries have been locked in short track rivalry for years.

One KSU official said he had heard rumors that Cho would move to China but that he had no idea the former South Korea coach would join the Chinese national team. (Yonhap)