Women's volleyball team heads to Japan with sights set on redemption

Korea’s national women’s volleyball team traveled to Japan on Sunday for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, aiming to rebound after missing the podium in 2023. Coached by Cha Sang-hyun, Korea will play Vietnam, Hong Kong and Qatar in Pool D, with its first match set for Wednesday against Hong Kong at Park Arena Komaki. Cha said the team has focused on recovery and set plays since the Asian championships in August. Captain Kang So-hwi and middle blocker Jung Ho-young are returning from injury, while Lee Da-hyeon is chasing an Asian Games medal like her mother.

Korea will open its Pool D schedule at 4 p.m. Wednesday against Hong Kong at Park Arena Komaki in Komaki, north of Nagoya.

The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals.

At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, Korea lost to Vietnam in its first preliminary match and failed to reach the medal phase.

It was the first time since 2006 that Korea failed to win an Asian Games medal in women’s volleyball.

Published Sep 13, 2026 10:22 am KST

Members of the Korean women's national volleyball team pose at Incheon International Airport, Sunday, before traveling to Nagoya, Japan, for the Asian Games. Yonhap

The national women's volleyball team traveled to Japan on Sunday for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, seeking redemption after failing to reach the podium at the previous competition in 2023.

Coached by Cha Sang-hyun, Korea will face Vietnam, Hong Kong and Qatar in Pool D of the preliminary round. The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals.

The competition for Korea will begin at 4 p.m. Wednesday against Hong Kong, with all Pool D matches taking place at Park Arena Komaki in Komaki, just north of Nagoya.

"Since the end of the Asian championships in August, we have been concentrating on recovering and managing our players' physical conditions," Cha told reporters at Incheon International Airport, just west of Seoul. "We have also been trying to polish up our set plays for the Asian Games. It broke my heart watching the national team three years ago. Everyone is extremely driven, and we will bring home good results."

At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Korea lost to Vietnam in its first preliminary match and failed to get into the medal phase. It was the first time since 2006 that Korea had failed to win an Asian Games medal in women's volleyball.

"Our first big test will be the match against Vietnam," Cha said of the showdown Friday. "We have beaten them twice this year, and we will try to win again this time."

Captain Kang So-hwi recently dealt with a left thigh injury but said Sunday she is getting better.

"I have not had good results at international competitions, and I want to reverse that trend this time," Kang said.

Another player returning from injury, middle blocker Jung Ho-young, should also be good to go, coach Cha said.

"She has a long history with setters on the national team so we should have no problem with their chemistry," Cha added.

Middle blocker Lee Da-hyeon will try to join her former player mother, Ryou Yeon-soo, as an Asian Games medalist.

Ryou helped Korea win silver at the 1990 Asiad in Beijing.

"She said she will come out to the airport to meet me only if I return with a medal," Lee said with a laugh.

韩国女子排球队周日启程前往日本，参加爱知-名古屋亚运会，力图在2023年错失领奖台后重振旗鼓。韩国队由车相铉执教，将在D组迎战越南、中国香港和卡塔尔，首场比赛将于周三在小牧公园体育馆对阵中国香港。车相铉表示，自8月份的亚洲锦标赛以来，球队一直专注于恢复和战术演练。队长姜素辉和副攻郑浩英伤愈复出，而李多贤则像她的母亲一样，渴望在亚运会上夺得奖牌。

韩国队将于周三下午 4 点在名古屋北部小牧市的小牧公园竞技场迎战中国香港队，开启 D 组的比赛。

四个小组中每个小组的前两名将晋级四分之一决赛。

在2023年杭州亚运会上，韩国队在首场预赛中负于越南队，未能晋级奖牌阶段。

这是自 2006 年以来韩国首次在亚运会女子排球比赛中未能获得奖牌。

发布于2026年9月13日上午10:22（韩国标准时间）

周日，韩国女子排球队队员在仁川国际机场合影，她们即将前往日本名古屋参加亚运会。（韩联社）

国家女子排球队于周日前往日本参加爱知-名古屋亚运会，力图弥补在2023年上一届比赛中未能登上领奖台的遗憾。

由车相铉执教的韩国队将在预赛D组迎战越南、中国香港和卡塔尔。四个小组的前两名将晋级四分之一决赛。

韩国队的比赛将于周三下午 4 点开始，首战对阵中国香港队。D 组所有比赛均在位于名古屋北部小牧市的小牧公园竞技场举行。

“自8月份亚洲锦标赛结束后，我们一直专注于恢复和调整队员们的身体状态，”车教练在首尔以西的仁川国际机场告诉记者。“我们也一直在努力完善定位球战术，为亚运会做准备。三年前看到国家队的表现，我非常难过。现在每个人都充满斗志，我们一定会取得好成绩。”

在2023年杭州亚运会上，韩国女排在首场小组赛中负于越南，未能晋级奖牌争夺阶段。这是自2006年以来，韩国女排首次在亚运会上未能获得奖牌。

“我们面临的第一个重大考验将是与越南队的比赛，”查在谈到周五的这场对决时说道。“我们今年已经两次击败他们，这次我们将力争再次取胜。”

队长姜素辉最近左大腿受伤，但她周日表示病情正在好转。

“我在国际比赛中一直没有取得好成绩，这次我想扭转这种局面，”康说道。

教练车说，另一名伤愈复出的球员，副攻手郑浩英，应该也能上场比赛。

“她和国家队的二传手们有着很深的渊源，所以她们之间的默契应该不会有问题，”车补充道。

副攻手李多贤将力争像她以前是运动员的母亲柳妍秀一样，成为亚运会奖牌获得者。

柳成贤帮助韩国队在1990年北京亚运会上获得银牌。

李笑着说：“她说，只有我带着奖牌回来，她才会到机场接我。”