South Korean judo team targets four gold medals at 2026 Asian Games

The South Korean national judo team has announced its goals for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan, aiming to secure four gold medals across the men's and women's divisions. During a media day at the Jincheon National Training Center, coaches expressed confidence in several key athletes, including Lee Hyun-ji and Heo Mi-mi for the women's team, and Lee Jun-hwan and Kim Min-jong for the men's team.

An Jae-hong, a judoka from the Namyangju City Hall team, has officially qualified for the men's 73kg category and the mixed team event after winning the national team final selection tournament. This marks his first appearance at the Asian Games.

The team faces a competitive field, but officials noted that the tournament may favor South Korea as some traditional powerhouses, such as Japan, may send secondary rosters due to scheduling conflicts with the 2026 IJF World Judo Championships.