{
  "id": 6398927,
  "title": "Men's handball players feeling confident vs. Middle East powers at Asian Games",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/mens-handball-players-feeling-confident-vs-middle-east-powers-at",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-09T08:47:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/sports/20260909/mens-handball-players-feeling-confident-vs-middle-east-powers-at-asian-games"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Reigning MVP Lee Yo-seb and 2021-2025 MVP Park Kwang-soon expressed confidence on Wednesday that Korea's men's handball team can defeat Middle Eastern powers to win a gold medal at the upcoming Asian Games. The duo will lead Korea's pursuit of their first men's handball gold in 16 years since the 2010 Asian Games. Following Korea's 2010 gold, Qatar claimed the next three golds, while Bahrain secured two silvers and a bronze during that period. Korea's road to the podium will likely involve overcoming those rivals, and Lee, 28, believes his team has an advantage this time. He noted that in terms of organization and speed, Korea is better prepared than the Middle Eastern teams. While acknowledging that these teams have become faster over the years, Lee emphasized that his squad has invested significantly more effort and has performed exceptionally well.",
  "summary": "Two recent MVPs of the Korean men's handball league both expressed confidence Wednesday that the national team will be able to beat Middle East powers en route to the gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games this month. Lee Yo-seb, the reigning MVP, and Park Kwang-soon, the MVP winner in 2021 and 2025, will be at the forefront of Korea's pursuit of its first Asiad gold in men's handball in 16…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Flood threat puts Malaysia's Asian Games contingent on alert",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/flood-threat-puts-malaysias-asian-games-contingent-on-alert",
        "published": "2026-09-09T05:21:54.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Asian Games venues and athletes unharmed by extensive flooding in Nagoya, Japan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/asian-games-venues-and-athletes-unharmed-by-extensive-flooding-in",
        "published": "2026-09-09T05:32:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "Asian Games venues and athletes unharmed by extensive flooding in Nagoya, Japan",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/asian-games-venues-and-athletes-unharmed-by-extensive-flooding-in-6394160",
        "published": "2026-09-09T06:23:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Korea pursuing 4 gold medals in judo at Asian Games",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/korea-pursuing-4-gold-medals-in-judo-at-asian-games",
        "published": "2026-09-09T06:27:02.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "Women's handball seeks revenge vs. host Japan at Asian Games",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/womens-handball-seeks-revenge-vs-host-japan-at-asian-games",
        "published": "2026-09-09T06:31:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Asian Games host Nagoya city in Japan sees extensive flooding due to record rain",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/asian-games-host-nagoya-city-in-japan-sees-extensive-flooding-due-to",
        "published": "2026-09-09T08:09:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Antara News Indonesia",
        "title": "Prabowo dispatches 430-strong Indonesian contingent to Asian Games",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/prabowo-dispatches-430-strong-indonesian-contingent-to-asian-games",
        "published": "2026-09-09T10:35:49.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}