Korea pursuing 4 gold medals in judo at Asian Games

Korea aims to reclaim its status in judo and secure a minimum of four gold medals at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, according to the nation's team coaches. Head coach Jung Sung-sook expressed this ambition, targeting two gold medals from both the women's and men's events. The women's side is particularly favored, with Huh Mimi in the -57 kilograms category and Lee Hyeon-ji in the +78kg category seen as the prime medal contenders.

Jung also mentioned that there are other athletes capable of winning gold, during a press conference at the Jincheon National Training Center in Jincheon, located 85 kilometers south of Seoul.

The men's team, coached by Hwang Hee-tae, has similarly high expectations. Lee Joon-hwan is expected to compete for gold in the 81kg category, while Kim Min-jong is targeted to perform well in the +100kg category. Notably, Lee and Kim both secured medals in the previous Asian Games held in 2023, with Lee taking silver and Kim bronze.

However, these medals marked Korea's lowest tally in judo at an Asian Games, with the country failing to win any gold medals and finishing behind rising powers Uzbekistan (three gold medals) and Chinese Taipei (two). Japan, on the other hand, led the competition with five gold medals. Hwang expressed confidence in the team's ability to improve upon these results.