Rajgir, Aug 25 : The Korea men's hockey team touched down in Bihar ahead of the prestigious Men's Hockey Asia Cup in Rajgir, which is scheduled to be played from August 28 to September 7. Led by captain Jongsuk Bae, the defending champions will be aiming to retain their crown in this edition of the tournament.

Notably, Korea remain the most successful nation in the history of the Men's Asia Cup, having clinched the title a record five times, with their most recent triumph coming in 2022. In the previous edition held in Jakarta, they lifted the trophy after edging past Malaysia 2-1 in a thrilling final.

Currently ranked 13th in the FIH World Rankings, Korea have been drawn into Pool B alongside Malaysia, Bangladesh and Chinese Taipei. They will open their campaign against Chinese Taipei on August 29, followed by a crucial clash with Malaysia on August 30, before rounding off their Pool stage with a match against Bangladesh on September 1.

After the team's arrival, Korea captain Jongsuk Bae said, 'This is our first tournament in Rajgir, and the welcome we have received here has been truly heartwarming. The hospitality and excitement of the people have already made this tournament feel very special for us. I am really happy to be here and grateful for the warm welcome we got.'

Speaking on the team's chances of defending the title, Bae stated, 'It is hard to say with certainty that we will defend the title, because every team here is strong and the competition will be tough. But what I can promise is that we will give our absolute best on the field, stay true to the way we have prepared, and play with full commitment and fighting spirit. Our goal is to turn all the hard work we have put in during training into strong performances, and hopefully, we will finish this tournament with a very positive outcome.'

'Of course, the stakes are high because a World Cup berth is on the line, and with that comes a lot of pressure. But instead of letting it weigh us down, we are channeling that pressure in a positive way. It motivates us to push harder, stay focused, and give everything on turf," he added.

/IANS