'Team Korea Sets Sights on 40+ Gold Medals at Asian Games Send-Off Ceremony... President Lee Vows Full Support to the End'

2026 Aichi-Nagoya Summer Asian Games to Open on September 19

1,052 Athletes to Compete in 41 Sports, Excluding Cricket and Padel

"The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will serve as a stage to witness both the present and future of Asian sports coming together in one place. The government will stand by your side to the very end, ensuring that you can compete in the best condition and finish the competition safely. I sincerely wish the national team the best in your remarkable challenge."

On September 3, at the Jincheon Velodrome in Chungbuk, President Lee Jaemyung delivered a message of support to the national team through a congratulatory address read on his behalf by Choi Huieyoung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, during the "2026 Aichi-Nagoya Summer Asian Games Team Korea Send-Off Ceremony".

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hee-young is reading President Lee Jae-myung's congratulatory speech at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Commitment Ceremony held at the Jincheon Athletes' Village in Chungbuk on the 3rd. Photo by Yonhap News

Setting a goal of more than 40 gold medals and an overall third-place finish, the Korean delegation for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games pledged their determination at the send-off ceremony. Among the 800 attendees were Minister Choi Huieyoung, Yoo Seungmin, President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, Lee Sanghyun, Head of the Athletes' Delegation, as well as officials from the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee and various sport associations, coaches, and athlete representatives such as Oh Sangwook (fencing) and Yeo Seojeong (gymnastics).

The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Summer Asian Games will take place from September 19 to October 4 across Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan. Team Korea will compete in a record number of sports at this Asian Games, covering highly popular events for the public, such as football and baseball, as well as new additions like eSports and virtual taekwondo. Out of 43 sports, Korea will send a delegation of 1,052 athletes for 41 sports, excluding cricket and padel. The main delegation will depart on September 17 and return on October 5.

As the event is held in Japan, overcoming the home advantage of the host nation is not expected to be easy. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee set its sights on winning at least 40 gold medals, aiming to minimize the gap with Japan. Since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, Korea has consistently placed third, coming behind Japan. However, whereas the gold medal gap widened to 30 (Korea: 45 vs. Japan: 75) at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, it was reduced to 10 (Korea: 42 vs. Japan: 52) at the 2022 Hangzhou Games.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has established a cooperation system with related organizations for the safe participation of the athletes. Led by Kim Daehyun, Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, a joint task force includes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Counter-Terrorism Center, the Ministry of Unification, and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. This year, as the athletes’ village accommodations are scattered between containers, cruise ships, and hotels, the Ministry and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee will set up five separate regional support centers to provide close support to the team.

On the 3rd, at the Jincheon National Training Center in Chungbuk, a ceremony for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games was held, where Hwee-young Choi, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Seungmin Yoo, President of the Korean Olympic Committee, Sanghyun Lee, Team Leader, and participating athletes took a commemorative photo. Photo by Yonhap News

A comprehensive response manual has also been prepared to systematically address various crisis situations that may arise during the Games. The sports associations have provided athletes and coaches with training on recent rule changes for each event in advance and distributed sport-specific guidelines outlining procedures in the case of judging errors.

Support for enhancing athletic performance is ongoing. Since January, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee have investigated demands by sport and provided customized training equipment and overseas training for 31 sports through the "2026 Aichi-Nagoya Team Korea Care" project. Athlete condition management using sports medicine and science will be further strengthened. This year, for the first time, a "return-to-play protocol" was established at the Jincheon Athletes' Village Medical Center, and customized medical services are being provided, especially for key areas such as the hamstring muscles, which are commonly injured by national athletes.

Yoo Seungmin, President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, who himself participated twice in the Asian Games, stated that he would do his utmost to support junior athletes so that they can challenge themselves without regrets. President Yoo sent his encouragement, saying, "If you demonstrate the power of Korea in the competition arenas, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee will firmly support your challenge both inside and outside the stadium."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.