How many North Korean athletes will compete at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games?

North Korea plans to send approximately 100 athletes to the event. They will compete in 14 sports, and the roster includes footballer Ri Song-a and karate practitioner Jong Se-ri, both Korean athletes from Japan.

How did North Korea perform at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou?

North Korea registered 185 athletes across 18 sports for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. It returned with 11 golds, 18 silvers and 10 bronzes, and the games were held in September 2023 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When will the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games open and close?

The opening ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 19. The closing ceremony will take place on Oct. 4, with preliminary events in basketball, football, hockey and volleyball held before the opening ceremony.

N. Korea to send some 100 athletes to 2026 Asian Games

Listen

Summary

North Korea plans to send about 100 athletes to the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in 14 sports, according to a senior National Olympic Committee official. NOC Secretary General Ko Chol-ho said the team hopes to win more medals than at the previous games despite being smaller and entering fewer sports. The roster includes two Korean athletes from Japan, Ri Song-a and Jong Se-ri.

Key Facts

North Korea had registered 185 athletes in 18 sports for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.
North Korea won 11 gold medals, 18 silver medals and 10 bronze medals in Hangzhou, which was held in September 2023 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2026 Asian Games will be held in and around Japan's Aichi Prefecture, with Nagoya as the main host.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 19, and the closing ceremony is set for Oct. 4.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 25, 2026 1:49 pm KST

North Korean delegation enters the opening ceremony of the 19th Asian Games at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Hangzhou, Sept. 23, 2023. Yonhap

North Korea plans to send approximately 100 athletes to compete in 14 sports at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, a senior official with the country's National Olympic Committee (NOC) said Tuesday.

Speaking to the Choson Sinbo, a Tokyo-based pro-North newspaper, NOC Secretary General Ko Chol-ho expressed hope that the delegation would win more medals at the upcoming event than in the previous games, despite its reduced size and participation in fewer sports.

North Korea had registered 185 athletes across 18 sports for the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. Pyongyang came home with 11 golds, 18 silvers and 10 bronzes from the event, which took place in September 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ko emphasized efforts made by North Korean athletes over the past few years, saying they had done "everything they could to deliver better results" amid "high expectations" from the country and the people.

He said the 2026 roster includes two Korean athletes from Japan — footballer Ri Song-a and karate practitioner Jong Se-ri.

The quadrennial competition will be held in and around Japan's Aichi Prefecture, with the prefecture's capital, Nagoya, serving as the main host.

The opening ceremony will be held Sept. 19, though preliminary action for sports such as basketball, football, hockey and volleyball will take place in the days before that. The closing ceremony is scheduled for Oct. 4.

Explore More