Korea's "smallest gold medal haul in 44 years"… fierce backlash over "military exemption interviews" immediately after the Games [Asian Games Recap ③]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

39 gold medals, 43 silver medals, and 68 bronze medals. The performance of the Korean team at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games was "below expectations." While achieving the goal of maintaining third place overall, the gap with China (169 gold) and Japan (83 gold) widened further. The target of winning more than 40 gold medals was also not met.

Gold medals were secured in key sports such as shooting (3 gold) and fencing (3), and gold medals were also consecutively won in ball games. Gold medal news also came from less popular events such as teqball, canoeing, equestrian, and skateboarding.

However, it was regrettable that other key sports like swimming and archery fell far short of expectations. Swimming, which had produced 6 gold medals at the 2022 Hangzhou Games, managed only 1 this time. The impact was significant as archery, which aimed to sweep 10 gold medals including recurve and compound, failed in its challenge for an eighth consecutive women's team title, resulting in just 3 gold medals.

Ultimately, the total number of gold medals for the Korean team remained at 39, failing to meet the target of more than 40. It was the lowest number of gold medals in a whopping 44 years since the 1982 New Delhi Games (28 gold). Yoo Seung-min, President of the Korea Sports and Olympic Committee, stated, "It was a tournament where we confirmed both meaningful results and homework," while adding, "We will analyze thoroughly after returning home to become a more grown 'Team Korea.'"

Meanwhile, even after the Games closed, the aftermath of the Asian Games continues to be fierce for Korea. This is due to the controversy over players' interviews focusing on "military exemption" following the football gold medal. Captain Lee Ki-hyuk (Gangwon FC) caused controversy by lifting the gold medal while saying in an interview, "I am not going to the military," and Yang Min-hyuk (Vestelo) sparked public anger by stating, "Medals or trophies are not important. Since there is a reward of military exemption (military service benefit), it seems I played looking only at that one thing."

Park Seung-soo (Newcastle United) also caused controversy by posting a photo wearing a discharge cap on SNS. Previously, Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha Eagles), captain of the baseball national team, also stood in the center of controversy by saying, "Anyway, we won the gold medal, I think the process is not needed at all. The gold medal is unconditionally important," in response to criticism of the baseball national team's performance.

In response, critical voices regarding the military service exemption system through Asian Games gold medals intensified, and political circles from both ruling and opposition parties began to speak with one voice. In addition, the Ministry of National Defense announced that it plans to reflect the reduction or abolition of supplementary service, including arts and sports personnel, in the basic plan for defense reform, indicating a major change is anticipated in the military service exemption system itself associated with Asian Games gold medals.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original