The South Korean sepak takraw national team has secured a medal in the women's doubles event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games for the first time in 16 years.

South Korea's women's doubles team, consisting of Han Ye-ji, Lee Min-ju (both from Busan Environmental Corporation), and Kim Se-young (Chungnam Sports Council), finished their campaign at the tournament after narrowly losing to Vietnam with a set score of 0-2 (6-15, 13-15) in the women's doubles semifinal held at the Mizuho Park Gymnasium in Nagoya, Japan, on the afternoon of the 28th.

There is no third-place playoff, and bronze medals are awarded to both teams that lose in the semifinals.

Having secured a bronze medal early by defeating India and Japan consecutively with set scores of 2-0 yesterday to confirm their advancement to the semifinals, South Korea finished the preliminary round undefeated in three matches as group leaders after coming from behind to beat the Philippines 2-1 in their third match held this morning.

Vietnam will compete for the gold medal against Group B runner-up the Philippines, which defeated Group A winner Laos 2-0 in the semifinals, at 9:00 a.m. on the 29th at the same venue.

This marks the second time in history and the first in 16 years that South Korea has won a medal in women's doubles sepak takraw at the Asian Games, following a bronze medal at the 2010 Guangzhou Games.

South Korea failed to pass the group stage at the 2014 Incheon Games, and the women's regu event was excluded from the detailed program at the subsequent 2018 and 2022 Games.

Additionally, this is South Korea's second medal in sepak takraw at this tournament, following the women's team regu.

Han Ye-ji, Lee Min-ju, and Kim Se-young, who are also members of the women's team regu, will conclude this tournament with two medals each.

(Photo: Yonhap News)