"We are fully prepared to win the gold medal," confident Lee Min-seong says, "The challenging process will become a tonic."

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Min-seong, head coach of the South Korean U23 Asian Games football team preparing for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya (Japan) Asian Games, stated, "We will do our utmost to secure a gold medal."

According to NEWSIS and the Korea Football Association on the 1st, Coach Lee Min-seong met with reporters ahead of training sessions held at Cheonan Korea Football Park in South Chungcheong Province for the Asian Games. He said, "The Asian Games is always a tournament where we must aim for gold. That has been our sole focus. From today onward, throughout the remaining schedule, we will unite with the players and move forward with only gold in mind."

South Korea aims to achieve its fourth consecutive men's football gold medal at the Asian Games, starting from the 2014 Incheon tournament. Given the military service benefits tied to the achievement, public interest is high, and the team has consistently shown strong determination by actively utilizing wildcards (players aged 24 and above). However, expectations for Coach Lee Min-seong's squad have significantly declined compared to previous tournaments due to poor performance since his appointment last year.

Coach Lee Min-seong remarked, "It may sound like an excuse, but we needed time to build organizational strength. This was a process of selecting players." He added, "Our focus has been on selecting the right players for the Asian Games. In past tournaments, we never went out with a cohesive team or unified lineup. While there are regrets, this experience will serve as a tonic."

Continuing, Coach Lee said, "We are monitoring overseas-based players. It is already good news that they are getting playing time and contributing offensively, which is a relief. While we are considering how these players will perform once they join us, it feels like those concerns are being resolved, so I feel relieved." He further noted, "Wildcards Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic FC) and Eom Ji-seong (Swansea City) were selected for their strong one-on-one abilities. Lee Gi-hyeok (Gangwon FC) is expected to reliably fulfill the leadership role in midfield, which is our team's weakest area."

However, there has been some criticism regarding the exclusion of players like Kim Min-su (Rangers) and Jens Castrof (Borussia Mönchengladbach), who have performed well for their clubs or are part of the senior national team. Coach Lee responded, "It would be disrespectful to mention players who were not selected at this gathering," while adding, "The coaching staff held dozens of meetings and selected these players because we believe they are the right fit for our team. We are confident they have the capability to win gold. Although I feel sorry for those not selected, my expectations for those chosen are very high."

Fourteen domestic-based players, including Kang Sang-yoon (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors), Hwang Do-yoon (FC Seoul), and Shin Min-ha (Gangwon FC), were called up for today's training session. They will be released from camp on the 4th and depart for Nagoya, Japan, via Incheon International Airport on the morning of the 6th. Overseas-based players will join the team directly in Japan. The Lee Min-seong squad is placed in Group D of the men's football tournament and will face Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The top two teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals.

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*This content was translated by AI.