Who arrived in Nagoya for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, and who led the group?

The main batch of the Korean delegation arrived with 122 athletes and officials from six sports. Table tennis player Shin Yu-bin and badminton player Seo Seung-jae led the delegation's march through the airport.

What are Korea's medal goals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games?

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee is targeting around 45 gold medals. Korea is competing in 41 of the 43 sports, while China is expected to dominate the medal race and Korea and Japan are seen as vying for second place.

When do the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games start and finish?

The opening ceremony is on Saturday, and the competition is set to close on Oct. 4. The Korean delegation arrived in the main host city on Thursday ahead of the start.

Main Korean delegation arrives in Nagoya

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Summary

The main Korean delegation for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games arrived in Nagoya, Japan, on Thursday ahead of the opening ceremony on Saturday. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee said 122 athletes and officials from six sports arrived at Chubu Centrair International Airport. Korea is targeting about 45 gold medals while competing in 41 of 43 sports. Table tennis player Shin Yu-bin and badminton player Seo Seung-jae led the arrival procession.

Key Facts

The opening ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, and the competition will close on Oct. 4.
Korea plans to compete in 41 of the 43 sports on the Asian Games program.
The delegation was greeted in Nagoya by Jung Mi-ae, Korea's consul general in Nagoya, and other officials representing Korean residents in Aichi Prefecture.
Lee Sang-hyun, president of the Korea Cycling Federation and chief of the delegation, said the athletes had already done well in preliminary stages and that the real battle starts now.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 17, 2026 4:18 pm KST

Table tennis player Shin Yu-bin, left, and badminton player Seo Seung-jae lead the way for the Korean delegation to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games after arriving at Chubu Centrair International Airport in Tokoname, Japan, Thursday. Yonhap

NAGOYA, Japan — The main batch of the Korean delegation to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games arrived in the main host city in central Japan on Thursday, with their sights set on challenging the host country in the medal race set to begin this weekend.

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) said 122 athletes and officials from six sports arrived at Chubu Centrair International Airport in Tokoname, some 30 kilometers south of Nagoya.

They are joining athletes in sports such as football, volleyball and basketball, whose competition has already started in and around Nagoya. The opening ceremony is Saturday and the competition will close Oct. 4.

The KSOC is targeting around 45 gold medals, with Korea competing in 41 out of 43 sports. China is expected to dominate the medal race once again, leaving Korea and Japan to duel for second place.

At the previous Asiad three years ago, Japan finished second with 52 gold medals, 10 more than third-ranked Korea.

Table tennis player Shin Yu-bin and badminton player Seo Seung-jae led the delegation's march through the Japanese airport upon arrival. They were greeted by Jung Mi-ae, Korea's consul general in Nagoya, and other officials representing Korean residents in the prefecture of Aichi.

"I would like to thank everyone here for such a warm welcome. We will try to fly our flag in the Nagoya sky as much as we can," said Lee Sang-hyun, president of the Korea Cycling Federation serving as the chief of the Asiad delegation. "Our athletes have already done so well so far in their preliminary stages, and the real battle starts now."

Shin, who was also chosen as a co-flag bearer for the opening ceremony earlier Thursday, said, "It is an honor and a pleasure to compete at the Asian Games. I will do the best I can."

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