Korea calls on athletes to do country proud at Asian Games in Japan

As the 2026 Asian Games in Japan approach, Korea has urged its athletes to represent their country with pride at the quadrennial event. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) organized the launch ceremony for the national delegation of the 20th Asian Games, which will take place in and around the Japanese prefecture of Aichi from September 19 to October 4.

Nagoya, the capital of Aichi, will serve as the main host city. The Korean squad will consist of 792 athletes and 260 officials, competing in 41 out of 43 sports. Lee Sang-hyun, president of the Korea Cycling Federation, will head the delegation.

Approximately 800 athletes and officials attended the launch ceremony at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, about 85 kilometers south of Seoul. The KSOC aims to secure around 45 gold medals and secure a spot within the top three for the 13th consecutive Asiad. China and Japan have formed the "big three" in Asian Games history, with China consistently dominating medal tallies and Japan overcoming Korea in each of the past two editions to claim second place. Prior to this year's competition, Korea had only won one gold medal.