S. Korea calls on athletes to do country proud at Asian Games in Japan

Seoul, September 3 - In a launch ceremony for the South Korean delegation to the 20th Asian Games in Japan, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) urged athletes to do their country proud at the upcoming quadrennial competition. The games, taking place from September 19 to October 4 in Nagoya, the capital of Aichi prefecture, will see South Korea field 792 athletes and 260 officials across 41 out of 43 sports.

Lee Sang-hyun, president of the Korea Cycling Federation, will serve as the delegation's head. The KSOC aims to secure approximately 45 gold medals and achieve a top-three finish, the 13th consecutive Asian Games where South Korea has aimed for such a result. China and Japan are considered the "big three" in Asian Games history, with China traditionally dominating medal counts and Japan previously finishing second at the two most recent editions.

The KSOC predicts South Korea will win at least one gold medal each in sports like archery, swimming, shooting, fencing, taekwondo, badminton, and modern pentathlon, as well as in athletics, football, artistic gymnastics, and sport climbing. Sports Minister Chae Hwi-young, speaking at the team launch ceremony, expressed pride in the athletes for overcoming adversity to earn their spots and assured them that the government will support them in maintaining peak performance.

KSOC President Ryu Seung-min, a 2004 Olympic table tennis champion, emphasized the unique challenges of this year's Asian Games, noting the absence of a designated athletes' village and the need for athletes to adapt to various circumstances. He also highlighted the importance of the event in promoting Korean sports and culture to the wider Asian continent and building relationships with other Asian sports bodies.