{
  "id": 1911844,
  "title": "Emotional coach, athletes vow turnaround for S. Korean wrestling at Asian Games",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/emotional-coach-athletes-vow-turnaround-for-s-korean-wrestling-at",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-19T10:27:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yonhap News",
    "slug": "yonhap-news",
    "url": "https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260819011000315"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "At a somber press conference, South Korea's national wrestling team and their coach An Han-bong broke down in tears while discussing the upcoming Asian Games. The country's wrestling had faltered, failing to secure a medal in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and 2024 Olympics, and only managing two bronze medals at the 2023 Asian Games. An Han-bong, a former Olympic gold medalist, urged his athletes to turn the tide at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in July. He expressed hope that his wrestlers would prove Korean wrestling is far from dead. Some wrestlers, like reigning Asian Games bronze medalist Chung Han-jae, shared similar sentiments, vowing to win gold and demonstrate the strength of Korean wrestling. The wrestlers unfurled a Taegeukgi, the national flag, with written goals after the flag-waving photo opportunity. KWF President Kim Ik-heon acknowledged the sport's downward spiral, pointing to poor mental health, lackadaisical coaching, and a focus on personal gain among instructors. He set a target of a gold, silver, and six bronze medals at this year's Asian Games, but the team's current state makes such an outcome uncertain. The medal contenders, including injured wrestlers Chung and Kim Min-seok, lack international experience. To boost morale, KWF President Kim, who also runs a pork processing company, promised pork gifts to medalists, with gold medalists receiving monthly gifts for two years and silver and bronze medalists getting them for a year.",
  "summary": "JINCHEON, South Korea, Aug. 19 (Yonhap) -- What is typically a cheery occasion t...",
  "key_points": [
    "South Korean wrestling team and coach An Han-bong emotional at press conference",
    "Coach urges athletes to turn tide at Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in July",
    "KWF President sets target of gold, silver, and six bronze medals"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}