Korean Badminton: Ahn Se-young Eyes Asian Team Gold

[스타뉴스 | 김명석 기자]

The Korean men’s and women’s badminton teams are set to conquer Asia for the first time in history.

The Korea Badminton Association announced on the 30th that the badminton team will leave for Qingdao, China on the 1st of next month to participate in the 2026 Asian Men’s and Women’s Team Badminton Championships.

This tournament, which will be held for 6 days from the 3rd to the 8th of next month, requires those who reach the semifinals to receive the right to participate in the World Men’s and Women’s Team Badminton Championships to be held in Denmark in April.

The women’s national team consists of 10 members, including Ahn Se-young, Kim Ga-eun, Kim Min-ji, Kim Hye-jeong, Lee Yeon-woo (Samsung Life Insurance), Lee So-hee, Baek Hana, Lee Seo-jin (Incheon International Airport), Park Ga-eun (Gimcheon City Hall), and Gong Hee-yong (Jeonbuk Bank).

In addition, 10 people, including Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae, as well as Choi Ji-hoon (Samsung Life Insurance), Yoo Tae-bin, Jo Hyun-woo (Gimcheon City Hall), Park Sang-yong, Jin-yong (Yonex), Kang Min-hyuk (Armed Forces Athletic Corps), Ki Dong-ju (Incheon International Airport), and Cho Song-hyeon (Gwangju Bank), make up the men’s national team.

In particular, Korea will challenge for its first ever gold medal through this tournament as the world’s No. 1 women’s singles Ahn Se-young, the men’s doubles world No. 1 Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae, the women’s doubles world No. 3 Baek Hana and Lee So-hee, and the 5th-ranked Kim Hye-jung and Kong Hee-yong pair are all participating.

In this competition held every two years, Korea has never reached the top in either the men’s or women’s team competition. The women’s team event’s best result is the silver medal won in 2020 and 2022, and the men’s team event has won bronze medals four times, including in 2024.

Reporter Kim Myeong-seok [email protected]