The South Korean men's epee team secured a spot in the Asian Games team final for the first time in 12 years, defeating host nation Japan in a thrilling semifinal. With this victory, Korea has at least secured a silver medal and will compete for gold later this evening.
On September 27, at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname, Japan, the South Korean team triumphed over Japan with a score of 38-37 in the semifinals of the men's epee team event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The team consisted of Park Sang-young, Jang Hyo-min (Ulsan Metropolitan City Hall), Nam Yeon-ho (Korea National Sport University), and Kwon Oh-min (Military Sports Corps).
This marks Korea's return to the men's epee team final for the first time since the 2014 Incheon Games. The team previously won gold medals at the 2006 Doha, 2010 Guangzhou, and 2014 Incheon Games but settled for bronze in both the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and 2022 Hangzhou events.
During the match, Korea led by as much as 25-17 at one point. After overcoming an early deficit, Park Sang-young shifted the momentum in the third round, followed by Nam Yeon-ho and Jang Hyo-min extending the lead. However, Japan mounted a comeback, tying the score at 34-34 in the eighth round.
The decisive moment came from Jang Hyo-min, who entered the final round. In the ninth round, he initially fell behind, conceding two points to Kano Goki, but quickly equalized at 36-36. The match proceeded to sudden death, where a simultaneous hit occurred before Jang scored the final point with 37 seconds remaining, sealing the victory at 38-37.
Japan, the semifinal opponent, has been a strong contender in recent international competitions, having won the last two Asian Games men's epee team events and secured a silver medal in the team event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Kano Goki, the individual gold medalist in men's epee and champion at the 2024 Paris Olympics, also participated in this match.
Korea will face the winner of the semifinal between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan in the final scheduled for 6:40 PM. There is keen interest in whether the men's epee team can reclaim the Asian Games title after a 12-year hiatus.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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