They have joined forces with members of the Korean development squad that is being groomed for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Their techniques have been honed by master coach Ken Park, who has been based at Christchurch since 2005 and has been instrumental in lifting the standard of New Zealand speed skaters.
Korean short track speed skaters have been the best in the world since 1992 and have won at least two of the eight gold medals available at every Winter Olympics.
In some Olympics they have made a clean sweep of either the men's or women's medals.
Park said Korean short track speed skaters were the best in the world because they had the best technique.
"Everything is in line and done perfectly," Park said.
"It is a real art and they have performed effortlessly."
The elite Korean skaters train six days a week for eight hours a day.
"Four hours each day is spent training on the ice and the other four hours training off the ice," Park said.
Speed skating is one of the most popular sports in Korea and there are thousands of recreational speed skaters.
There are 12 members - six men and six women - in the national senior squad preparing for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia.
There are 30 members in the national junior team and 40 in the development squad. They all train fulltime.
Park has coached New Zealand skaters since 2005, and three of his Canterbury skaters represented New Zealand at this year's world championships.
He was responsible for co-ordinating the schedule for the visiting Korean skaters.
Under a reciprocal arrangement, the best young New Zealand skaters spent a month in Korea in January and trained with the development squad in Seoul.
Park rates the Dunedin Ice Stadium as a world-class facility and that is why the Koreans have decided to train in New Zealand.
It is planned to continue this arrangement through to the 2018 Winter Olympics.
"It is a huge benefit for us," Park said.
"Training 10 days with Korean skaters will give New Zealanders the equivalent of a year's advancement, compared to training by themselves.
It makes us step up to another level."
New Zealand skaters will test themselves against the Koreans at the South Island championships at the Dunedin Ice Stadium today.
NZ prospects for the 2018 Winter Olympics:
Shaun Coburn, Chris Jarden, Ben Whiteside, Courtney Coburn, Ethan de Rose, Francesca Williamson, Caitlin Phillips (Christchurch), Mark McCormack and Rianna Mitchell (Dunedin)
