The South Korean men's rugby sevens team failed to secure a medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
On October 3, South Korea lost to Japan 17-5 in the men's rugby bronze medal match held at Mizuho Park in Nagoya.
South Korea struggled against Japan's pressure in the first half, trailing 10-0. The scoring continued against them in the second half, with only a late try by Lee Moon-kyu providing South Korea's sole points.
Throughout the tournament, South Korea could not overcome the dominance of top Asian rugby teams. Earlier, they lost to defending champions Hong Kong 35-14 in the semifinals, which led them to the bronze medal match.
After losing to Japan 24-14 in the group stage, South Korea aimed for revenge but ended up with another defeat.
South Korean rugby previously reached the pinnacle of Asian rugby, winning gold medals at the Bangkok 1998 and Busan 2002 Asian Games. However, they have since fallen behind strong teams like Hong Kong and Japan.
In the 2022 Hangzhou Games, South Korea reached the finals for the first time in 17 years, earning a silver medal. This time, they were unable to contend for a medal after facing Hong Kong in the semifinals, compounded by fatigue.
Hong Kong secured their third consecutive Asian Games title by defeating China 26-0 in the final held on the same day.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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