The Korean men's volleyball team defeated Taiwan 3-1 in sets on September 28 at the Park Arena Komaki in Aichi, Japan, securing their spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Aichi Nagoya Asian Games.
Star player Heo Soo-bong (Hyundai Capital) led the team with 18 points, while Lim Dong-hyuk (Korean Air) contributed 16 points. Although Taiwan took the first set, Korea regained their composure and won the next three sets.
Under the guidance of head coach Isanaye Ramirez, Korea began the tournament with a 3-0 victory over the Philippines the previous day.
Korea will face China on September 29 for the top spot in Group D. The Korean men's volleyball team has won medals in 14 consecutive tournaments from the 1966 Bangkok Games to the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, but finished seventh in the 2022 Hangzhou Games. The team aims to secure a medal for the first time in eight years and has achieved their initial goal of reaching the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, an unexpected incident occurred before the match. According to officials from the Korea Volleyball Association, the team planned to take a shuttle bus to practice at the Komaki gymnasium before the match against Taiwan. However, the bus headed to the wrong venue, resulting in the cancellation of the practice.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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