(LEAD) (Asiad) S. Korea wins gold in women's handball at Asian Games, ending 8-yr drought

South Korea claimed the women's handball gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Sunday, ending a prolonged eight-year absence from the top spot. The decisive encounter against host Japan concluded with a 27-23 victory in the sixth and final round of the competition at Entrio in Inazawa, Japan. South Korea's triumph propelled them to the top of the standings, having secured six wins out of six matches, while Japan secured five victories and one loss.

Unlike some competitions, the women's handball event in Japan followed a round-robin format, with all seven teams facing each other once, and medals awarded based on the final standings. This marked South Korea's first Asian Games title in eight years, following wins in 2014 and 2018, and preceding a title-less finish in 2023. South Korea's eighth Asian Games gold overall since women's handball joined the quadrennial continental multisport competition in 1990.

Prior to this match, South Korea and Japan were both undefeated, boasting five wins each. The South Korea-Japan match was a repeat of the final at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, where South Korea lost 29-19. South Korea started the game cautiously with a 3-3 draw but quickly found their stride, leading 16-12 at halftime. Japan managed to reduce the gap to 24-22 in the second half, but South Korea's defense withstood Japan's efforts, with Park Sae-young's crucial saves proving decisive. Kwon Han-na scored seven goals, and Ryu Eun-hee contributed six, with Kim Min-seo adding four more.