The Asian Games officially kicked off their 17th incarnation on September 19th. Some 15,000 athletes from 45 nations have participated in the games, including members from North Korea.
For the past two weeks, the games have fueled sports discussions in the region. As they come to a close one question comes to mind: Were they worth it?
On this edition of the Asia News Weekly on Korea Times podcast, host Steve Miller is joined by Korea Times reporters Kim Tae-jong and Kwon Ji-youn to take a closer look at the games during an informal roundtable discussion.
How do you feel about the Asian Games? Are they a worthwhile endeavor and add value to the region? Do the games do nothing more than boast the egos of the countries that can host them? Are they necessary for regional teams to prepare for larger contests like the Olympics? And what are your predictions for the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta 2018?