Nagoya:South Korea has entered the final week of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in central Japan, having secured 21 gold medals so far. This achievement places them about halfway to their goal of approximately 45 gold medals.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's basketball teams have been particularly successful, earning three gold medals. These victories include titles in both men's and women's 5x5 basketball, and in men's 3x3 basketball. In addition, the South Korean baseball team won its fifth consecutive gold, and the women's handball team secured its first gold since 2018.
Fencers have also been key contributors, capturing four gold medals. Oh Sang-uk won the men's sabre individual title and helped lead the team to another gold. Meanwhile, unexpected champions emerged in artistic gymnastics and canoe sprint, adding to the medal tally.
Despite these successes, South Korea faced challenges in swimming and table tennis. The nation claimed just one gold medal in swimming, a decline from six titles three years ago, and ended with three bronze medals in table tennis, marking its worst-ever performance at the Asian Games.
As the competitions draw to a close, South Korea is hopeful for additional gold medals in archery, taekwondo, and judo. The nation has reached the semifinals in all six team events in archery, with strong contenders in both compound and recurve events. The judo team features 2024 Olympic medalists Kim Min-jong, Lee Joon-hwan, and Huh Mimi.
In team sports, South Korea aims for a fourth consecutive gold in men's football and seeks its first-ever title in women's football. The women's final is set for Friday, with the men's final following on Saturday. The Asian Games will conclude with the closing ceremony on Sunday.