The 21-year-old had already been ruled out of competing at the Sochi Olympics next month after fracturing his elbow in a fall on January 14, with the examination of the injury showing the tumour in his shoulder had swelled to 13 centimetres and become malignant.
Noh, a 1500 metre specialist, first became aware of the tumour last September but had opted not to have it removed until after the February 7-23 Games as it was small and benign.
"We also found out about the tumour through the media reports and were taken aback," an official at the Korea Skating Union (KSU) told Reuters on Friday.
"He bumped into a Canadian skater at the World Cup last September and fractured his left shoulder ... the exact same spot where he had a tumour.
"So we thought it was something due to the fracture that was sticking out of his uniform, never a 13-centimetre-long malignant tumour."
Noh had been taking painkillers since but a lump was visible in his left shoulder in a picture recently posted on the blog of the retired short track skater An Sang-mi.
"I saw the muscle swollen so much and already hardened and asked if he was okay and he just said he was fine," said An on her blog.
He will begin chemotherapy in two weeks, doctors said.
The news is the latest blow to hit the revered short track team, who have provided all but four of the country's 23 Winter Olympic golds and 37 of 45 total medals.
A fortnight ago, one of the national team coaches was temporarily expelled from the Taeneung National Team Training Centre amid allegations that he had sexually molested his former student two years ago.
Also likely to grate the team is the form of one of their former skaters, Viktor Ahn, who won the World Cup title over 500 metres in November.
Ahn, formerly known as Ahn Hyun-soo, won three gold medals at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, but took Russian citizenship in 2011 after the 28-year-old skater was controversially omitted for the Vancouver Games.
The KSU said the news of Noh's ailment would obviously have an effect on the team.
"I am not sure his teammates know about the tumour and surgery of Noh because they already left for France on Wednesday and I have not spoken with them regarding the matter," the official said.
"They will be saddened and demoralized by the news but I am sure they will not feel disturbed too much too long since the big game is fast approaching."
(Reporting by Narae Kim, editing by Patrick Johnston)
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