SEOUL - South Korea's main delegation for the Paris Olympics embarked on their journey to France on Saturday, focusing on achieving a commendable performance at the global sports event.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the team consists of 40 athletes and 18 officials, forming part of a larger group that includes a total of 143 athletes competing in 21 sports, supported by 117 officials. This year's delegation is notably the smallest since the 1976 Montreal Olympics. KSOC President Lee Kee-heung, while expressing both excitement and concern about the challenges posed by the Parisian climate and other local conditions, remained confident in the athletes' ability to excel and uplift spirits back home. The nation aims to secure five gold medals, which would approximately place them 15th in the overall medal standings—a cautious but hopeful target.
This objective reflects a modest expectation compared to past performances, potentially marking South Korea's lowest gold medal tally since 1976, when they achieved just one gold. In contrast, during the last Olympics held in Tokyo, South Korea secured six gold medals and ranked 16th overall.