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Veterans Lead South Korea’s Bid to Avenge Their Asian Games Loss to Japan

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • South Korea’s women’s handball team will rely on veteran players, including Park Sae-young, Lee Yeon-kyeong and captain Kwon Han-na, at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
  • The team expects its final round-robin match against host Japan to effectively decide the gold medal after South Korea lost to Japan at the Hangzhou Games.
  • Coaches and players say unity, defensive teamwork and contributions from younger players will be essential.

South Korea’s women’s handball team is placing its Asian Games hopes in the hands of experience. Goalkeeper Park Sae-young, attacker Lee Yeon-kyeong and captain Kwon Han-na are among the veteran players leading the challenge at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games.

The 16-player squad also includes younger players Lee Hye-won, Cha Seo-hyun and Jeon Ji-yeon, all in their early 20s, alongside established players such as Jo Eun-bin and Woo Bit-na. But the core remains the team’s group of players in their 30s, including world-class scorer Ryu Eun-hee. Park has won the domestic H League goalkeeper award three straight times, Kwon holds the women’s regular-season scoring record with 1,516 goals, and Lee is regarded as possessing the team’s most powerful wrist shot.

South Korea will face Hong Kong first on the 19th before meeting host Japan on the 27th. With seven teams competing in a full round robin, the Japan match is expected to function as a de facto gold-medal decider. Lee, who struggled with a torn knee ligament in January last year but returned to finish this year’s league season, said she wanted to play intelligently and help the team win rather than focus only on personal ambition.

After Hangzhou, we know there is no longer anything automatic about South Korea winning in women’s handball. We cannot win unless the national team comes together as one.

· Lee Yeon-kyeongLee described the lesson from South Korea’s defeat by Japan at the Hangzhou Games.

The players are also trying to close the gap exposed by their loss to Japan at the Hangzhou Games. Lee said South Korea could no longer assume victory in women’s handball or rely on individual skill to overwhelm opponents. Kwon said senior players were working to help younger teammates settle into the team through communication and informal interaction.

Park emphasized that goalkeeping depends on the defense in front of her. When defenders pressure opponents, she said, it becomes easier to read the path of incoming shots. The team has trained at the Jincheon Athletes’ Village since late May, combining morning fitness work with afternoon tactical sessions. Former player and commentator Jo Eun-hee predicted a South Korea-Japan title contest, adding that younger players’ speed and counterattacks could change the flow of the match. South Korea’s men’s team is also seeking a medal.

Stopping goals cannot be done by one person alone. When the defenders apply pressure in front, it is easier to read the opponent’s shooting path.

· Park Sae-youngPark stressed the importance of defensive teamwork.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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