'Four-time Asian Games Challenge Includes Veteran' 17-member Roster for South Korean Softball National Team Announced

*This content was translated by AI.

The 17 athletes selected for the South Korean softball national team to compete at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games were announced.

The Korea Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA) announced the roster of the softball national team to compete at the 20th Summer Asian Games, to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 26 to October 3, on the 21st.

Final confirmation has not yet been made. The 17 selected national team athletes will undergo a 10-day official objection period. Final entry for the Asian Games will be confirmed only after passing the review of the Korean Olympic Committee's Performance Improvement Committee in June.

The Lee Beon (CEO) team includes veterans such as Bae Yu-ga (Gyeongsangnam-do Sports Council), who will compete in the Asian Games for the fourth consecutive time, Jang Se-jin (Incheon Metropolitan City Sports Council), who won the Choi U-su-seon (수상) at the 2026 President's Cup National Softball Tournament (General Division), and Park Min-kyung (Incheon Metropolitan City Sports Council), who won the Woo Su-tu (수상).

Additionally, many promising young players who stood out in last year's national tournaments were also selected. The youngest player is Kim Ji-yoon (Daegu Urban Development Corporation), born in 2005, highlighting the team's focus on generational transition.

Meanwhile, the softball national team participated in a Japan league exchange match in March in preparation for the Asian Games. In May, they conducted exchange matches with the Philippines national team, continuing practical, game-focused training.

In July and September, the team conducted training camps in Japan to accumulate international match experience and improve game management skills. The KBSA stated, "We plan to focus on strengthening our team for the Asian Games by enhancing adaptability to the host environment and maximizing local game experience."

KBSA Yang Hae-yeong (Chairman) said, "Since appointing a Japanese coach in 2024, we have continuously worked to strengthen our team. The players have also strengthened their resolve to win a medal at the Asian Games." He added, "We will spare no support in the remaining period to achieve the goal of winning South Korea's first-ever medal in softball at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games."

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*This content was translated by AI.