SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has officially launched its campaign for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, sending a powerful message to its athletes: compete with pride, stay safe and give everything for the nation.
The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) held the national delegation launch ceremony at the Jincheon National Training Center on September 3, with the country setting an ambitious target of 40 to 45 gold medals and a top-three finish in the overall medal standings.
The Asian Games will take place across Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, putting South Korean athletes in a major regional showdown against traditional powers China and host nation Japan.
A 1,052-member Korean delegation heads to Japan
South Korea’s delegation consists of 1,052 members, including 792 athletes and 260 officials, with the team scheduled to compete in 41 of the 43 sports on the program.
The clarification is important because some reports refer to 1,052 as the size of the delegation rather than the number of competing athletes. Korea’s official government reporting confirms the 792-athlete, 260-official breakdown.
Cycling Federation president Lee Sang-hyun will serve as head of the Korean delegation.
The main contingent is scheduled to head to Nagoya on September 17, just days before the Games officially open.
Korea wants 45 gold medals—but the challenge is enormous
The medal target is clear: 40 to 45 gold medals and third place overall.
Korea’s strongest medal hopes are expected to come from sports including archery, swimming, shooting, fencing, taekwondo and badminton, while the delegation is also looking for major contributions from athletics, football, artistic gymnastics, sport climbing and other disciplines.
The goal would allow South Korea to maintain its place among Asia’s leading sporting nations while attempting to keep Japan within reach.
Korea finished third at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, winning 42 gold medals. Japan finished second with 52 golds, while China dominated the medal table.
That means Korea’s 40–45 gold target is not simply about collecting medals—it is also about preventing Japan from pulling further away.
President Lee sends message to athletes
President Lee Jae Myung expressed his support for the national team in a message read by Sports Minister Chae Hwi-young during the launch ceremony.
Lee praised the athletes for pushing their limits and overcoming difficulties to earn the opportunity to represent South Korea.
He also stressed that the government would support the delegation so athletes could compete in the best possible condition and return home safely.
That emphasis on safety is particularly relevant because the Aichi-Nagoya Games will have a different setup from many previous Asian Games.
No traditional athletes’ village adds another challenge
One of the unusual features of the 2026 Asian Games is the absence of a conventional centralized athletes’ village.
Because competition venues are spread across Aichi and surrounding areas, athletes will have to adjust to a more decentralized environment.
KSOC President Ryu Seung-min, a 2004 Olympic table tennis champion and former Asian Games competitor, acknowledged that athletes would face circumstances different from those of previous editions.
He said the committee would work to ensure athletes could focus on competition and that unexpected problems would be addressed quickly.
The logistical challenge comes at a crucial time for Korea, with the country attempting to remain ahead of the chasing pack while closing the gap with Japan.
Japan has the home advantage
This year’s Games could be particularly difficult for Korea because Japan is the host nation.
The competition will be centered in Nagoya and Aichi, with venues spread throughout the region. The Games are expected to bring together thousands of athletes and officials from across Asia.
The Olympic Council of Asia has reported that more than 17,000 athletes and officials have registered for the event, exceeding the organizers’ original projection. Organizers have said accommodation plans have been secured despite the surge, with participants staying in hotels, temporary housing and a cruise ship rather than a traditional athletes’ village.
That unusual arrangement could become one of the defining logistical stories of the Games.
Korea’s medal hopes extend across traditional and emerging sports
While Korea’s traditional strengths remain central to its medal strategy, the Aichi-Nagoya Games will also introduce or expand opportunities in newer sports.
Teqball, for example, will make its Asian Games debut, and Korea is already targeting multiple medals in the football-table-tennis hybrid.
Korea’s teqball team has attracted attention because several athletes reportedly left regular employment to focus on training for the Games, highlighting the determination surrounding the country’s push for medals in emerging disciplines.
Shooting is another sport generating major expectations. Korea’s national shooting team has publicly targeted five gold medals, building on its strong performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Star athletes will carry the spotlight
Among the athletes expected to attract significant attention are major Korean stars from swimming, fencing and other medal-heavy sports.
Swimming standout Kim Woo-min, who won three gold medals at the Hangzhou Asian Games, will be one of Korea’s leading medal contenders again.
Fencing star Oh Sang-uk, a Paris Olympic champion, is also expected to play a major role in Korea’s medal campaign.
Meanwhile, South Korea’s esports team is preparing for its second appearance in esports at the Asian Games, with superstar Faker among the names drawing international attention.
The bigger battle: Can Korea stay in Asia’s top three?
South Korea’s objective goes beyond a single medal count.
The country is attempting to maintain a remarkable run of finishing among the top three nations at the Asian Games while confronting a difficult combination of factors: Japan’s home advantage, a spread-out competition environment and intense competition from China and other rapidly improving Asian sporting powers.
Korea.net reported that the Korean delegation had already set its sights on 40–45 gold medals and third place overall, while KSOC officials indicated there could still be room to raise expectations.
For Korea, the message from the September 3 launch ceremony was therefore simple: the medal race has begun, and every event matters.
The first major question will be whether Korea can turn its 40–45 gold-medal target into reality.
And with Japan competing on home soil, the answer may come down to something much harder to measure than preparation alone—how Team Korea performs when the pressure is at its highest.
Key Facts: 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games
- Host: Japan
- Main host city: Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture
- Dates: September 19–October 4, 2026
- Korean delegation: 1,052 total — 792 athletes and 260 officials
- Korean sports entered: 41 of 43 sports
- Korea’s medal target: 40–45 gold medals
- Overall target: Top-three finish
- Total Asian Games program: 43 sports, 71 disciplines and 469 gold medals
- Notable Korean medal sports: Archery, swimming, shooting, fencing, taekwondo and badminton
- Emerging Korean medal opportunity: Teqball
- Main rivals: China and host Japan
Sources checked: The Korea Times/Yonhap, Korea.net, South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Olympic Council of Asia, Korea JoongAng Daily and other recent Asian Games coverage.
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