South Korea’s Asian Games title defense faces fresh uncertainty over Lee Young-jun’s arrival

South Korea’s bid for a fourth straight Asian Games title is facing an unwanted delay: striker Lee Young-jun’s arrival has become uncertain after a change to his club schedule.

Lee, who plays for Grasshopper, had originally been expected to join the team on the 14th. That timing now remains unresolved as the national team and his club continue discussions.

The delay could stretch into the tournament itself. In the worst-case scenario, Lee would join during the group stage of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, leaving coach Lee Min-sung waiting even longer to assemble his full squad.