South Korea claimed the 19th Asian Men’s Junior Handball Championship after defeating the United Arab Emirates 25-24 on August 27, according to reports from MK Sports. The tournament, held at Chuzhou City International Handball Stadium in Anhui Province, China, featured 13 competing countries and served as the official qualification pathway for the International Handball Federation (IHF) World Men’s Junior Championship.
South Korea Secures Title with Dramatic Final Win
According to MK Sports, head coach Park Hyun-jong’s squad secured the championship through a dramatic buzzer-beater scored by Joo Yong-chan in the closing seconds of the final match against the UAE. South Korea faced an early deficit, trailing 5-9 in the 17th minute of the first half and falling behind by five goals at 11-16 early in the second half. Offensive contributions from Choi Young-woo and Joo Yong-chan—who scored eight goals apiece—helped narrow the gap. Goalkeeper Kwon Oh-joon added seven decisive saves during the second half to shift momentum. South Korea previously advanced to the final by defeating Bahrain 31-32 in a narrow semifinal battle.
Tournament Standings and World Championship Qualification
Per MK Sports reporting, the top four finishing nations secured qualification for the 2027 IHF World Men’s Junior Championship. South Korea took the gold medal, the United Arab Emirates earned the silver as tournament runners-up, Saudi Arabia claimed the bronze by defeating Bahrain 37-27 in the third-place match, and Bahrain secured the fourth qualification spot. The victory marks South Korea’s fourth Asian men’s junior title, following previous tournament wins in 1988, 1992, and 2018, while the UAE achieved its highest finish in tournament history by taking second place.
Individual Player Achievements
South Korea’s Choi Young-woo earned the tournament’s top scorer award by netting 64 total goals across the competition, according to MK Sports. Iran’s Omid Enayati Joo finished second in scoring with 61 goals, and Kuwait’s Youssef Madwah placed third with 56 goals. Throughout the preliminary and knockout rounds, South Korean players demonstrated resilience, including an opening 28-27 victory over Qatar where Choi Young-woo contributed 10 goals and Kwon Oh-joon recorded 18 saves.