{
  "id": 3438808,
  "title": "North Korea to ‘bring joy’ to Kim with 100 athletes at Asian Games",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/north-korea-to-bring-joy-to-kim-with-100-athletes-at-asian-games-3438808",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-26T05:23:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/08/26/north-korea-to-bring-joy-to-kim-with-100-athletes-at-asian-games"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "North Korea plans to send approximately 100 athletes to compete in 14 sports at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan next month, according to a senior official. The nuclear-armed country previously participated in the 2023 Asian Games in China and the 2022 Paris Olympics after suspending its involvement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ko Chol Ho, secretary general of North Korea's Olympic committee, revealed that the delegation would feature two Japanese ethnic Koreans competing in women's football and karate. The athletes are motivated to bring joy to Marshal Kim Jong Un, with the team's morale reportedly high and a focus on achieving even greater results compared to the Hangzhou Games in 2023.",
  "summary": "An official says athlete morale was high, with competitors across 14 sports in Japan motivated to win for their leader.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "North Korea sharpens anti-Japan rhetoric as Russia ties grow",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/north-korea-sharpens-anti-japan-rhetoric-as-russia-ties-grow",
        "published": "2026-08-26T02:00:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "North Korea to ‘bring joy’ to Kim with 100 athletes at Asian Games",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/26/north-korea-to-bring-joy-to-kim-with-100-athletes-at-asian-games",
        "published": "2026-08-26T05:23:34.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}