South Korea’s swimming team may be leaving the 2026 Asian Games with fewer medals than it won three years ago, but national coach Kim Hyo-youl believes the emergence of several young medalists could be an important sign for the country’s future.
Speaking in Tokyo on Friday, Kim highlighted the performances of a new generation of South Korean swimmers, saying their results showed they can compete not only in Asia but also on the global stage.
Among the standouts is 20-year-old Kim Young-beom, who captured the men’s 50-meter freestyle gold and collected five medals at the Games.
Nineteen-year-old Park Si-eun added silver in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke, while fellow 19-year-old Kim Jun-woo won a joint silver in the men’s 800-meter freestyle.
Another breakthrough came from 16-year-old Kim Seung-won, who earned bronze in both the women’s 50-meter and 100-meter backstroke events.
Coach Sees More Than Just Medals
For Kim Hyo-youl, the significance of the young swimmers’ performances goes beyond their podium finishes.
He pointed to the times recorded by Park and Kim Jun-woo as evidence that they are closing the gap with the world’s leading swimmers. Kim Jun-woo’s 7:43.86 in the 800m freestyle and Park Si-eun’s 2:22.69 in the 200m breaststroke were particularly encouraging benchmarks, according to the coach.
Kim also said he believes Kim Young-beom has the potential to go even further. After Young-beom reported that Chinese star Pan Zhanle had suggested he could eventually challenge Pan’s 100m freestyle world record, the Korean coach said he did not consider the idea an exaggeration.
Kim Woo-min’s Injury Adds a Different Challenge
South Korea’s medal campaign has also been affected by the absence of one of its established stars.
Kim Woo-min, who won three gold medals at the 2023 Asian Games, competed in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay but missed his other individual events because of a shoulder problem.
He is scheduled to undergo further examinations after returning home. His coach said surgery could be considered if necessary, with the priority being his recovery ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Meanwhile, China’s Zhang Zhanshuo produced major performances in Tokyo, setting an Asian record in the 200m freestyle and a competition record in the 800m freestyle—the same events in which South Korea’s Hwang Sun-woo and Kim Woo-min won gold at the 2023 Asian Games.
From Paris Disappointment to LA 2028 Ambition
South Korea won just one swimming medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with Kim Woo-min taking bronze in the men’s 400m freestyle.
Now, the emergence of Young-beom, Park, Jun-woo and other younger swimmers has given the national program a new group of athletes to develop toward the next Olympics.
Kim Hyo-youl said the team will target three individual swimming medals at Los Angeles 2028.
The 2026 Asian Games, therefore, are becoming more than a medal count for South Korea’s swimming program. They are providing an early look at a younger generation that the coaching staff hopes can carry the team onto the global stage.
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