S . Korean athletes make triumphant homecoming after historic Asian Winter GamesBy Yoo Jee - ho INCHEON , Feb . 27 ( Yonhap ) -- South Korean athletes made a triumphant homecoming Monday following their record - setting performances at the Asian Winter Games in Japan . The main delegation of 72 athletes and officials in cross - country skiing , women ' s hockey and biathlon received a hero ' s welcome at Incheon International Airport . Athletes in sports that had concluded before Sunday ' s closing ceremony already returned home last week . South Korean athletes take part in the closing ceremony of the Asian Winter Games at Makomanai Indoor Skating Rink in Sapporo , Japan , on Feb . 26 , 2017 . ( Yonhap ) South Korea grabbed 16 gold medals and 50 medals in total to finish in second place in the medal standings behind Japan at the Sapporo Asian Winter Games , which wrapped up Sunday after an eight - day run . Both the gold medal and the overall medal tallies were South Korea ' s records at a single Asian Winter Games . At the 2011 competition in Kazakhstan , South Korea won 13 gold medals and 38 medals in all . South Korea ' s stated goal in Sapporo was to capture at least 15 gold medals , and it surpassed the target on the penultimate day of the competition , thanks to gold medals by alpine skier Jung Dong - hyun and figure skater Choi Da - bin . South Korea picked up its first gold medal on the first day of the Asian Games , with alpine snowboarder Lee Sang - ho winning the giant slalom title on Feb . 19 . And the country kept on rolling , collecting six gold medals from speed skating and five more from short track . There were also gold medals in alpine skiing and cross - country skiing , an encouraging development for a nation that has long struggled in snow events . The athletes ' performances bode well for their prospects at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea ' s PyeongChang . The country sent most of its top winter sports athletes to Sapporo , hoping to see how they would stack up against the regional rivals . Alpine skier Kim Hyeon - tae carries the South Korean flag during the closing ceremony of the Asian Winter Games at Makomanai Indoor Skating Rink in Sapporo , Japan , on Feb . 26 , 2017 . ( Yonhap ) jeeho @ yna . co . kr ( END )