With 21 gold medals, S. Korea counting on more from archery, taekwondo in final week

South Korean baseball players take a selfie with their gold medals after winning in the final at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games at Toyohashi Municipal Baseball Stadium in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, Sunday. Yonhap

NAGOYA, Japan — South Korea has entered the final week of the medal competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in central Japan, having bagged 21 gold medals, about halfway to its target of about 45 gold medals.

In the early going, the country's basketball teams thrived with three gold medals — one each in the men's and women's 5x5 hoops and in the men's 3x3 basketball.

Among other team sports, South Korea grabbed its fifth consecutive gold in baseball and its first gold since 2018 in women's handball.

Fencers also carried the load by snapping up four gold medals, with Oh Sang-uk taking the men's sabre individual title and leading South Korea to the team gold medal as well.

South Korea saw surprise champions emerge from artistic gymnastics and canoe sprint.

On the other hand, the country struggled in swimming and table tennis.

South Korea had just one gold medal from the pool, after collecting six titles three years ago, and ended up with three bronze medals in table tennis — the country's worst-ever Asian Games performance.

Over the final stretch, South Korea is expected to collect gold medals from archery, taekwondo and judo.

South Korea has reached the semifinals in all six team events in archery — men's, women's and mixed in both compound and recurve competitions. South Korean archers are also considered medal threats in all individual compound and recurve events.

The national judo team features 2024 Olympic medalists Kim Min-jong, Lee Joon-hwan and Huh Mimi.

In team sports, South Korea will chase its fourth straight gold in men's football but first-ever title in women's football.

The women's final is Friday, followed by the men's final Saturday.

The Asian Games will wrap up with the closing ceremony Sunday.