South Korea begins its Asian Games gold‑medal push on day one, aiming for up to 45 golds and a third‑place finish behind China and Japan.
South Korea’s delegation of 1,051 athletes and officials opened competition on Sunday at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture, targeting up to 45 gold medals and a third‑place finish in the medal table behind China and Japan.
The first potential gold could come from the women’s modern pentathlon, where 2024 world champion and Olympic medalist Seong Seung‑min will compete, joined by teammates Kim Un‑ju, Shin Su‑min and Jang Ha‑eun in the 18‑athlete final. Male pentathletes, including defending Asian Games champion Jun Woong‑tae, are scheduled to compete later Sunday.
Other medal prospects highlighted include women’s 10 m air rifle (led by reigning Olympic champion Ban Hyo‑jin, with the shooting squad targeting five golds), teqball men’s singles final featuring Lee Jun‑suk, soft‑tennis teams aiming to improve on previous bronzes, swimmer Hwang Sun‑woo entering the men’s 100‑metre freestyle, and the men’s basketball team seeking its first gold in 12 years after reaching the final.
The available reporting outlines these targets and athlete line‑ups; results and further developments remain to be seen.