The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Summer Asian Games have officially begun, marking the first time in 32 years that Japan hosts the event. The South Korean delegation, aiming for a third consecutive overall third-place finish, entered the stadium as the 16th team, led by flag bearers Shin Yu-bin from table tennis and Kim Dong-yong from rowing.
The opening ceremony took place at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, on September 19 at 6 p.m. This marks the third Summer Asian Games held in Japan, following Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994. The event is being held three years after the 2022 Hangzhou Games, which were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 10,000 athletes from 45 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), including a newly formed refugee team of four, are participating. They will compete for 469 gold medals across 43 sports and 71 events until October 4. The slogan for this year's games is 'Imagine One Asia,' symbolizing the unity and shared future of Asian nations.
The entry of delegations was conducted in alphabetical order based on English country names. Afghanistan was the first to enter, followed by China in seventh and North Korea in eighth. South Korea entered as the 16th team, following Kazakhstan.
Shin Yu-bin and Kim Dong-yong, both veterans in their respective sports, proudly carried the South Korean flag at the front of the delegation.
South Korea is sending a total of 1,051 athletes to compete in 41 sports, excluding cricket and padel. Only 50 athletes from nine sports participated in the opening ceremony due to considerations regarding competition schedules and training.
The South Korean team greeted the audience with smiles as they passed through a heart-shaped central stage. The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Choi Hwi-young, and the President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, Yoo Seung-min, were seen waving to the athletes on the broadcast.
The opening ceremony was themed 'Harmonic Heartbeat,' symbolizing the idea that different rhythms can create a unified sound. The ceremony featured a heart-shaped main stage and performances that integrated the history and culture of the Aichi-Nagoya region with advanced technology.
Following the declaration of the opening by Emperor Naruhito, the final event was the lighting of the Olympic flame. Koji Murofushi, the gold medalist in men's hammer throw at the 2004 Athens Olympics, lit the flame alongside his father, Shigenobu Murofushi, who achieved five consecutive Asian Games titles in hammer throw.
The South Korean team's goal is to secure 40 to 45 gold medals and finish in the top three overall. They have already earned two silver medals in preliminary events for men's basketball and men's singles techball. Both men's and women's tennis teams have reached the semifinals, ensuring at least two bronze medals.
North Korea is sending 107 athletes, including 42 men and 65 women, competing in 14 sports, aiming for medals in traditional strongholds such as women's football, weightlifting, and wrestling.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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