The Korean traditional martial art of taekwondo will begin its Asian Games competition on Tuesday, with the host expected to collect multiple titles.

A total of 16 weight classes, eight each for men and women, will be contested. A country can be represented in up to 12 of them, half a dozen each for men and women.

On the first day, South Koreans will be featured in the men’s 74 kg and 87 kg, and the women’s 49 kg and 53 kg.

Yoon Jeong-yeon, the reigning Asian champ in the women’s 53 kg, is seen as a gold medal favorite.

The men’s football team will face Thailand in the semifinals, hoping to take one step closer to South Korea’s first Asiad gold since 1986. South Korea has yet to give up a goal in five matches. The kickoff is 8 p.m. at Munhak Stadium.

Elsewhere, the women’s volleyball team will face Japan in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. at Ansan Sangroksu Gymnasium. The game is a rematch of the women’s volleyball semis at the 2012 London Olympics, where Japan prevailed at the top to keep the South Koreans off the podium.

The men’s hockey squad has a semifinal date with India at 4:30 p.m. at Seonhak Hockey Stadium. (Yonhap)