Lee Min-sung leads South Korea’s U-23 team with nine European-based players as it targets a fourth straight Asian Games gold

Lee Min-sung has set South Korea’s sights on a fourth consecutive Asian Games football gold medal, with nine European-based players expected to join the squad in Japan.

The South Korean U-23 team gathered at Korea Football Park in Cheonan on the first day of the month to begin preparations for next month’s Aichi-Nagoya Games. Fourteen of the 23 players, all currently playing in the K League, took part in the first training session.

The domestic-based players will train for four days before briefly disbanding. They are scheduled to leave for a pre-tournament camp in Shizuoka on the 6th and enter Nagoya, the competition venue, on the 12th.

European-based players including Stoke City’s Bae Jun-ho, Tottenham’s Yang Min-hyeok and Brentford’s Kim Ji-soo will join the team directly in Japan. South Korea is in Group D and will open against Qatar on the 15th before facing Saudi Arabia on the 22nd.

“Although the process of getting here was not smooth, that time will have been valuable nourishment,” Lee said. “We will focus on the gold medal and achieve our goal with one purpose.” South Korea’s men have won three straight Asian Games gold medals, from Incheon in 2014 through Hangzhou in 2023.

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Although the process of getting here was not smooth, that time will have been valuable nourishment. We will focus on the gold medal and achieve our goal with one purpose.