"If Japan is petty, we'll make them ourselves": Korean Sport & Olympic Committee to specially produce medals for athletes who competed in the preliminaries [Nagoya AG]

[Financial News]  South Korea is stepping in to wipe away the tears of its athletes, who were hurt by Japan's 'all-time penny-pinching administration.' In response to the Organising Committee for the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, which showed the height of stinginess by insisting that "under the event regulations, athletes who competed in the preliminaries cannot receive physical medals," the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee delivered a satisfying counterpunch. If Japan will not provide the medals, South Korea will make identical ones and place them around the athletes' necks—a truly reassuring and bold decision.
On the 28th, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee announced that it would separately produce and award medals made to exactly the same specifications as the actual Asian Games medals. The move is intended to honor the efforts of athletes who competed in preliminary rounds of team events, including swimming, but were unable to receive medals because of the event regulations.
The astonishing saga began on the 25th. During an interview, Kim Min-seop, who won a bronze medal in the men's 200m butterfly, admitted his disappointment, saying, "I had already won medals in two team events, but I was so disappointed to learn that athletes who competed in the preliminaries would not receive physical medals." Despite giving everything in the men's 400m relay, which won silver, and the 800m relay, which won bronze, he was left empty-handed simply because he did not compete in the finals.

It was a cost-cutting trick unique to the Nagoya Organising Committee—something not seen at other international competitions. As criticism poured in from South Korea and abroad over this disastrous administration, which treated the athletes' sweat and toil as targets for cost reduction, KSOC stepped forward. Thanks to the decision, preliminary-round athletes who had quietly dedicated themselves behind the scenes, including Kim Min-seop, will finally receive actual medals equal in weight to the sweat they shed.
KSOC's generous effort to boost the morale of Korea's athletes does not end there. It will produce and award an 'Asian Games Participation Commemorative Medal' to every national team athlete and coach who did not win a medal. It will also specially produce 'Coaches' Medals' in the same colors as the medals won by their athletes and present them to the head coaches and coaches of medal-winning events in recognition of their hard work.
A substantial cash reward is also awaiting the athletes. The delegation's Most Valuable Player (MVP), selected through a vote by media outlets covering the event, will receive a prize of 30 million won. Winners of the Most Improved Athlete Award, Fighting Spirit Award, and Coaching Leadership Award, selected through separate evaluations, will each receive 10 million won in encouragement money.
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter