Main batch of South Korean delegation arrives in Nagoya for Asian Games

By Yoo Jee-ho

NAGOYA, Japan, Sept. 17 (Yonhap) -- The main batch of the South Korean delegation to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games arrived in the main host city in central Japan on Thursday, with their sights set on challenging the host country in the medal race set to begin this weekend.

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) said 122 athletes and officials from six sports arrived at Chubu Centrair International Airport in Tokoname, some 30 kilometers south of Nagoya.

They are joining athletes in sports such as football, volleyball and basketball, whose competition has already started in and around Nagoya. The opening ceremony is Saturday and the competition will close Oct. 4.

The KSOC is targeting around 45 gold medals, with South Korea competing in 41 out of 43 sports. China is expected to dominate the medal race once again, leaving South Korea and Japan to duel for second place.

At the previous Asiad three years ago, Japan finished second with 52 gold medals, 10 more than third-ranked South Korea.

Table tennis player Shin Yu-bin and badminton player Seo Seung-jae led the delegation's march through the Japanese airport upon arrival. They were greeted by Jung Mi-ae, South Korea's consul general in Nagoya, and other officials representing South Korean residents in the prefecture of Aichi.

"I would like to thank everyone here for such a warm welcome. We will try to fly our flag in the Nagoya sky as much as we can," said Lee Sang-hyun, president of the Korea Cycling Federation serving as the chief of the Asiad delegation. "Our athletes have already done so well so far in their preliminary stages, and the real battle starts now."

Shin, who was also chosen as a co-flag bearer for the opening ceremony earlier Thursday, said, "It is an honor and a pleasure to compete at the Asian Games. I will do the best I can."

Later Thursday, the South Korean athletes and officials attended the official welcome ceremony hosted by the organizing committee at Nagoya Port's Fuji Plaza.

As a cost-saving measure, Nagoya officials chose not to build a dedicated athletes' village. Participants are instead staying at hotels across Aichi Prefecture, with some having been assigned to the cruise ship Costa Serena and others having settled inside container units.

South Korea was joined in the ceremony by those from Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Iraq and Myanmar.