On October 4, as the closing ceremony of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games got underway, President Lee Jae-myung offered words of encouragement to the South Korean national team, saying, "Every one of you who persevered and fought to the end is a champion."

President Lee wrote on his social media, "Around 800 of our athletes represented the Republic of Korea passionately across 41 sports," adding, "There were moments of joy, as well as moments of disappointment. There was surely sweat and hard work that cannot be fully measured solely by the color and number of medals."

He continued, "I hope the passion and fighting spirit shown by our athletes will serve as the driving force to pursue even bigger dreams going forward," noting, "I extend my deepest gratitude to the athletes, coaches, and everyone who supported them behind the scenes."

President Lee also pledged, "Together with the public, I will actively cheer on the vigorous efforts of our South Korean athletes at the Asian Para Games, which open on October 18."

The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which kicked off on September 19, brought down the curtain on its journey with the closing ceremony on the evening of October 4.


The South Korean delegation finished third overall in the medal standings with 39 gold, 43 silver, and 68 bronze medals.

South Korea secured third place thanks to golden performances—including the men's soccer team's unprecedented fourth consecutive title, gold sweeps by both the men's and women's basketball teams, and triumphs by badminton star An Se-young and sabre standout Oh Sang-uk. However, the delegation failed to reach 40 gold medals for the first time in 44 years since the 1982 New Delhi Games, trailing far behind China and Japan.

Meanwhile, the event was also criticized for revealing widespread operational issues across accommodations, transportation, and competition environments.

The next Asian Games will take place in Doha, Qatar, in four years.

(Photo: Yonhap News)