North Korea announced it will send about 100 athletes to compete across 14 sports at the 2026 Asian Games held mainly in Nagoya and Aichi prefectures, Japan, from September 19 to October 4 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. The delegation is smaller than the 185 athletes North Korea sent to the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, which covered 18 sports [2, 3, 4, 5].
The North Korean team includes two Japan-based ethnic Korean athletes competing in women's football and karate [1, 3, 4, 5]. Secretary General of the North Korean Olympic Committee Ko Chol Ho said the athletes are training hard and motivated to achieve better results despite the smaller team. He stated, "Our athletes are training tirelessly every day, determined to bring joy to Marshal Kim" and confirmed the delegation will compete in sports including men’s and women’s football, weightlifting, boxing, and wrestling [1, 4].
North Korea suspended international sports participation during the COVID-19 pandemic, missing the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics and the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics. It returned to competition at the 2023 Asian Games and the Paris Olympics [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. At the 2023 Asian Games, North Korea won 11 gold medals, about half of which came from weightlifting [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The 2026 Asian Games are expected to host around 17,000 participants, including 11,000 athletes and 6,000 officials, from 45 countries. While most events will take place in Nagoya and Aichi, swimming, diving, and equestrian competitions will be held in Tokyo [2, 6]. Due to a lack of a dedicated athletes' village, Japan is using cruise ships, container huts, and hotels for accommodation [6].
Despite recent North Korean criticism of Japan's remilitarization, the country will participate in the Games held by Japan [1, 4].
The 20th Asian Games will open on September 19 and run through October 4, marking North Korea’s continued return to regional sports competition after the pandemic suspension [1, 2, 3, 6, 4, 5].
