Korean athletes participating in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Summer Asian Games pledged to perform well during a ceremony held on September 3.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in collaboration with the Korean Sports Council, hosted the '2026 Aichi-Nagoya Summer Asian Games Korean Team Ceremony' at the National Training Center Velodrome in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, at 3 p.m.
Attendees included Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Hwi-young, Korean Sports Council President Yoo Seung-min, Team Leader Lee Sang-hyun, and over 800 athletes, including representatives Oh Sang-wook (fencing) and Yeo Seo-jeong (gymnastics), who expressed their determination to excel.
The Asian Games, held in Japan for the first time in 32 years, will kick off with an opening ceremony at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya on September 19 and run for 16 days until October 4. A total of 469 gold medals will be contested across 43 sports and 71 events.
South Korea will send a delegation of 1,052 members (athletes and officials) to compete in 41 sports, excluding cricket and padel. This marks the largest number of sports in which South Korea has participated in Asian Games history. Athletes will showcase their skills in newly recognized events such as esports and virtual taekwondo, as well as various recreational sports like squash and mountain biking.
The team's goal is to secure between 40 and 45 gold medals and maintain a third-place overall finish. They aim to close the gap with host nation Japan, which has achieved second place in the overall standings at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and 2023 Hangzhou Games.
Comprehensive support is being implemented to ensure a safe and successful event. The Ministry has formed a joint preparation team led by Deputy Minister Kim Dae-hyun, collaborating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Anti-Terrorism Center, the Ministry of Unification, and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
Given that the athletes' village will be operated across various locations, including containers, cruise ships, and hotels, the Ministry and the Sports Council will establish five regional situation rooms on-site for close support. They have also prepared crisis response manuals and provided training on competition regulations for each sport. Immediately after the ceremony, education on doping prevention and safety management was conducted for the athletes.
Additionally, tailored management for performance enhancement is underway. Since January, the 'Team Korea Care' initiative has supported training equipment and overseas training for 31 sports. The Jincheon Training Center's Medical Center has introduced a 'Return to Injury Protocol' to assist recovery from key injuries, such as hamstring strains, based on sports science.
Minister Park stated, "If the national team athletes inspire the public to think, 'I want to try that too,' through their diverse challenges, it will be another valuable legacy of the Asian Games."
Athletes will depart for Japan according to their respective schedules. The main team will leave on the 17th and return on the 5th of next month after completing all events.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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