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Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young will visit the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on September 18-19 to conduct sports diplomacy and encourage the South Korean delegation. The photo shows Minister Chae reading a congratulatory message on behalf of President Lee Jae-myung at the launch ceremony for the South Korean athletic delegation held at the Jincheon National Training Center in North Chungcheong Province on the 3rd. / Yonhap

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young is visiting the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games to conduct sports diplomacy and encourage the South Korean athletic delegation.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on the 18th, Minister Chae departed for Nagoya, Japan, earlier in the day to stay for two days as the government representative. He is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony on the 19th and the reception following the event. Prior to that, on the 18th, he will meet with Junichi Kawai, head of the Japan Sports Agency, to discuss ways to expand bilateral sports exchanges. He will then move to the opening ceremony of the Korea House to meet key figures in the international sports community, including International Olympic Committee (IOC) members and high-ranking officials from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), aiming to highlight the global standing of Korean culture and sports while strengthening networks to expand international sports exchanges.

Established in Nagoya by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee for South Korean athletes and the general public, the Korea House will operate at Lives Nagoya, an exhibition hall near the athletes' village, through October 3, the day before the closing ceremony. This marks the second time the Korea House has operated at an Asian Games following the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games, and it will welcome visitors from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The venue will host exhibitions of national team uniforms, hands-on experience events for archery, basketball, and golf, as well as cheering sessions for major sports like baseball and fencing. In addition, a dedicated relaxation lounge for athletes, coaches, and their families has been prepared, alongside various promotional events showcasing Korea, including an exhibition and sales booth for the National Museum Cultural Foundation's brand "MU:DS," which gained popularity at the recent Milano Winter Olympics.

Minister Chae said, "I will offer my wholehearted support so that the sweat and dedication of our athletes, who have trained quietly for so long, can bear fruit in the arena," adding, "I hope the Asian Games Korea House will serve as a strong base to bolster our delegation and further elevate the status of Korean sports."

                                                                                                         Cho Seong-jun