South Korean Boxing Achieves Feat: Jang Dong-hwan and Kim Min-sung Both Advance to Finals, Securing at Least Two Silver Medals

South Korean men's boxing has achieved a remarkable feat with two athletes advancing to the finals of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

Promising South Korean men's boxers Jang Dong-hwan and Kim Min-sung (both from Korea National Sport University) both secured unanimous 5-0 decision victories in their semifinal matches at the tournament held at the Nishio Gymnasium in Nishio, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on the 29th, advancing to the finals.

As a result, South Korean men's boxing has secured at least two silver medals while positioning itself to challenge for simultaneous gold medals in both weight classes.

In past Asian Games, South Korean men's boxing saw Shin Jong-hun in the 49kg division and Ham Sang-myeong in the 56kg division win gold medals together at the 2014 Incheon Games, while failing to win any medals at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games.

At the 2022 Hangzhou Games, Jeong Jae-min won a bronze medal in the 92kg division.

Stepping into the ring first, Jang Dong-hwan earned a commanding 5-0 (30-26, 30-26, 30-26, 30-26, 29-27) victory over Tajikistan's Akmal Ubaidov in the men's 60kg semifinal.

Dominating his opponent throughout the match with fast footwork and precise effective strikes, Jang swept all five judges' scorecards following a lopsided advantage that included scoring a knockdown in the third round.


In the men's 80kg semifinal that followed, Kim Min-sung defeated Jordan's Hussein Iashaish 5-0 (28-29, 27-30, 28-29, 27-30, 28-29), passing the baton to the finals.

Starting out tight after being judged trailing by three judges in the first round, Kim completely seized control of the match by landing a decisive punch that knocked down his opponent in the second round.

Capitalizing on his momentum, Kim completed his comeback in the third round by earning perfect 10s across the board from all five judges.

Jang Dong-hwan and Kim Min-sung will go on a joint quest for gold medals in the finals scheduled for October 2.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.