The South Korean national judo team has set its sights on securing at least three gold medals at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, seeking a firm recovery following a difficult outing at the previous tournament in Hangzhou. General Manager Jeong Sung-sook and men’s team head coach Fan Hite lead a squad that arrived in Nagoya on September 27. Competition runs from September 30 through October 3 at the Aichi International Arena.
At the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, the South Korean delegation managed just a single gold medal, marking a historic low point for the program. Team leadership and athletes have spent months adjusting training regimens and analyzing international opponents to ensure a much stronger performance on Japanese soil.
Opening Day Matchups and Lee Ha-rim’s Reduplication Bid
Competition opens on September 30 with four weight divisions on the mat. Lee Ha-rim of Yangpyeong County Office competes in the men's 60kg division, joined by teammate Kim Chang-nyong of High1 in the 66kg category.
Lee returns to the Asian Games stage aiming to finally capture gold after securing bronze at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games and silver in Hangzhou. In the 2022 final, Lee fell to Chinese Taipei’s Yang Yung-wei, whom he had also lost to in three previous consecutive encounters. The two judokas could potentially meet again in Nagoya.
Mid-Week Heavyweights and Global Contenders
Action continues on October 1 with several of South Korea’s premier medal hopefuls. The schedule features An Jae-hong of Namyangju City Hall in the men’s 73kg division and Lee Joon-fan of Pohang City Hall at 81kg. In the women’s brackets, Heo Mi-mi of Gyeongbuk Sports Council fights at 57kg, Kim Ji-su of Gyeongbuk Sports Council at 63kg, and Kim Hye-mi of Gwangju Metropolitan Corporation at 70kg.
Lee Joon-fan enters the tournament carrying significant momentum after winning the Asian Championships in each of the last two years. He also collected three consecutive bronze medals at the World Championships from 2023 onward and secured a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Heo Mi-mi also targets the top of the podium. After claiming a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, she underwent shoulder surgery but has maintained her elite form since returning to competition. Kim Ji-su enters as a formidable dark horse. Both Heo and Kim are Zainichi Koreans, making the tournament in Japan a particularly meaningful milestone in their athletic careers.
Closing Individual Bouts and Heavyweight Medal Hopes
The final day of individual competition on October 2 features the heavier weight classes. The men's tournament showcases Kim Jong-hun (Yangpyeong County Office) at 90kg, Han Ju-yeop (High1) at 100kg, and Kim Min-jong (Yangpyeong County Office) in the 100kg-plus division.
Kim Min-jong and Lee Hyun-ji stand out as the primary gold medal favorites for the session. Kim earned a bronze medal at his Asian Games debut in Hangzhou—an outcome that left him in tears—before rebounding to capture silver at the Paris Olympics. Lee Hyun-ji has surged through the senior ranks after dominating the junior circuit while attending Namnyeong High School. In national team trials, she defeated Hangzhou gold medalist and domestic rival Kim Ha-yun of Ansan City Hall. Kim Ha-yun is scheduled to compete in the mixed team event on October 3.
Tactical Preparation and the Japanese Field
The timing of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games creates unique scheduling dynamics, overlapping directly with the International Judo Federation World Championships opening on October 4. That overlap has led to numerous top Japanese athletes withdrawing from the Asian event. However, Japan’s depth remains formidable, requiring complete concentration from the visiting delegation.
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