Seoul, Korea, September 7, 2026: According to United World Wrestling, DPR Korea has entered nine wrestlers in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, reports the Hankook Ilbo from Seoul.
The nine include two athletes in men's Greco-Roman wrestling: Ryu Yu-chol (60kg), ranked No. 51 in the world, and Son Man-kwang (67kg), ranked No. 49.
In men's freestyle, world No. 1 Han Chong-song will compete in the 57kg class, while Kim Kwang-jin, ranked No. 14, will compete at 65kg.
North Korea's five-strong women's freestyle lineup comprises Kim Son-hyang (50kg), ranked No. 19; Choe Hyo-gyong (53kg), ranked No. 7; Son Il-sim (57kg), ranked No. 3; Kim Ok-ju (62kg), ranked No. 3; and Pak Sol-gum (68kg), ranked No. 10.
North Korea, which has emerged as a wrestling powerhouse since making rapid strides on the international stage in the late 2010s, won seven medals - one gold, three silver and three bronze - at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.
At last year's world championships, DPRK again claimed seven medals: three golds, two silvers and two bronzes.
Although North Korea plans to send a delegation of roughly 100 athletes to this year's Asian Games, a reduction of about 40 percent from the previous edition, it has increased its wrestling contingent by one athlete. The team is considered capable of winning three or more gold medals.
Han is considered one of North Korea's strongest gold medal contenders. Last year, he was named UWW's Asian Freestyle Wrestler of the Year, drawing international attention for his performances.
Veteran Kim Son-hyang, who won a silver medal at the 2026 Asian Championships, is also expected to contend for gold. She is set for a fierce battle with Yui Susaki of Japan, who won gold at the same championships.
Choe Hyo-gyong is another medal contender. She won bronze at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, the 2024 Paris Olympics and the 2025 World Championships. She also captured gold at the 2025 Asian Championships.
(Hankook Ilbo/The Korea Times)