South Korea Beats China to Reach Asian Games Men’s Handball Semifinals

South Korea advanced to the men’s handball semifinals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Saturday after defeating China in a quarterfinal at Kasugai City Gymnasium in Japan.

Kim Rak-chan and Park Se-ung led the South Korean attack with six goals each. Two other players added five goals apiece, giving the team a balanced scoring effort as it moved two victories away from its first Asian Games gold medal in the event in 16 years.

China took a narrow 5-4 lead about six minutes into the match, but South Korea quickly changed the direction of the contest. The Koreans scored four consecutive goals to move ahead 8-5, while their defense prevented China from scoring for roughly six and a half minutes. That sequence created the first meaningful separation between the teams.

South Korea maintained control through the remainder of the opening half. China was unable to reduce the margin below three goals, and the Koreans entered halftime with a 16-12 advantage.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with South Korea staying in front despite China’s attempts to close the gap. China cut the deficit to 22-19 around the midpoint of the half, bringing the game back within three goals. South Korea responded by widening its lead to 28-22 with fewer than five minutes remaining, effectively stopping the comeback attempt.

Kim Rak-chan then scored twice in a span of 13 seconds late in the match, sealing the result and confirming South Korea’s place in the final four. His late scoring burst capped a performance in which the team combined steady offense with a sustained defensive effort at key moments.

South Korea will play the winner of the quarterfinal between Qatar and Iran in Monday’s semifinal. That matchup was scheduled for later Saturday. The bronze medal match and the gold medal game are both set for Tuesday.

The semifinal berth keeps South Korea in contention to end a lengthy wait for another Asian Games men’s handball championship. The team’s ability to answer both of China’s strongest stretches proved decisive: first with the four-goal run after falling behind early, and later with the six-goal cushion built after China had narrowed the score in the second half.

With the elimination stage now reduced to four teams, South Korea must win twice more to take the title. Its next opponent will be determined by the Qatar-Iran result, while Saturday’s victory gives the Korean squad time to prepare for Monday’s decisive contest.