S. Korea launches squad for Asian Para Games

ICHEON, South Korea, Sept. 19 (Yonhap) — The South Korean squad for the 3rd Asian Para Games in Indonesia was launched on Wednesday as athletes vowed to give their best effort toward the goal of finishing in third place in the medal standings.

At the launching ceremony for the Asian Para Games held at Icheon Training Center in Icheon, just south of Seoul, the South Korean delegation said it aims to collect 33 gold, 43 silver and 49 bronze medals to finish third in the medal standings.

“We’ll give our best and support athletes to meet South Korean people’s expectations,” said Jun Min-sik, a businessman in Indonesia who was named the chef de mission for the South Korean team.

South Korea will send a delegation composed of 313 members in 17 disciplines to the Asian Para Games in Jakarta that will be held between Oct. 6 to 13.

The athletes have been training intensively at the training center for the last 170 days. They said gold medal is their target.

“We’ve won gold at the Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games, but have yet to collect gold at the Asian Para Games,” said a boccia player Jeong Ho-won. “We’ve worked harder than we did at the Rio Games.”

The ceremony was attended by more than 400 guests, including vice sports minister Roh Tae-kang and Korea Paralympic Committee (KPC) chief Lee Myung-ho.

“A lot of effort and perseverance are required to produce one athlete,” Roh said. “We will keep preparing systematic and stable policies for the athletes so that their efforts do not end up in vain.”

The South Korean delegation will depart for Jakarta on Oct. 2. South Korea finished second at the 2014 Asian Para Games at home with 72 gold, 62 silver and 77 bronze medals.

South Korean para athletes speak at a press conference at Icheon Training Center in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 19, 2018, ahead of the Asian Para Games in Indonesia. (Yonhap)