- Title: SOUTH KOREA: OLYMPICS 2012 - Olympic team leaves for London
- Date: 20th July 2012
- Summary: INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA (JULY 20, 2012) (REUTERS) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) VARIOUS OF SOUTH KOREA'S NATIONAL TEAM FOR LONDON OLYMPICS SHOUTING 'WAY TO GO' WHILE CLENCHING THEIR FISTS MEDIA OLYMPIC SQUAD SHOWING THEIR CLENCHED FISTS OLYMPIC SQUAD STANDING AT DEPARTURE GATE AT AIRPORT (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) LEE KEE-HONG, HEAD OF SOUTH KOREAN OLYMPIC TEAM, SAYING: "Our goal is 10-10 - achieving 10 gold medals and finishing inside the top 10. We will surely achieve the goal before we return." SUPPORTER CHEERING FOR OLYMPIC SQUAD SUPPORTER PACKING HIS LUGGAGE BEFORE BOARDING PLANE TO LONDON SUPPORTER'S T-SHIRT WITH PRINT ON READING IN ENGLISH "I 'HEART' KOREA, 2012 LONDON OLYMPICS" SUPPORTER CHECKING HIS LUGGAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) LEE DONG-SOO, HEAD OF SUPPORTING GROUP, SAYING: "The experience (of being head of a group of supporters at the Sydney Olympics) brought me here. I prepared for this (London Olympics) for two years. I will take more than 100 supporters to London." SOUTH KOREA'S PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE PARK GEUN-HYE POSING WITH OLYMPIC SQUAD PARK HUGGING ONE OF THE ATHLETES ATHLETES ENTERING DEPARTURE GATE NAM HYUNHEE, NATIONAL FENCER, ENTERING DEPARTURE GATE WHILE WAVING TO JOURNALISTS SUPPORTERS HOLDING BANNER READING IN KOREAN: "Those who are heading to London are already our heroes. Way to go!" (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) YOO JAE-HOON, FAN AT AIRPORT, SAYING: "I know our team members have done their best up to now. I hope they can perform well showing 100 percent of their skills in London. Go for it!" NATIONAL TAEKWONDO PLAYER CHA DONG-MIN SAYING GOODBYE TO HIS FAMILY MEMBERS OLYMPIC SQUAD ENTERING DEPARTURE GATE VARIOUS OF OLYMPIC SQUAD PASSING SECURITY CHECK AT DEPARTURE GATE
- Embargoed: 4th August 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Korea, Republic of
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA1K0OWNO9A15KHW0Q8G64YD7Z7
- Story Text: South Korea's national team for the London Olympics received a warm send-off on Friday (July 20) as they left for the United Kingdom, pledging to do their best in this summer Games.
The country's 374-member-Olympic squad with 245 athletes and 129 staff departed from the Incheon National Airport, escorted by around 100 family members who wished them luck for the Games, which will start on July 27.
"Our goal is 10-10 - achieving 10 gold medals and finishing inside the top 10. We will surely achieve the goal before we return," said Lee Kee-hong, head of the South Korean Olympic team, at the departure ceremony at the airport.
The South Korean squad have ranked in the top 10 for the past six Summer Olympics. At the last Games in Beijing in 2008, South Korea ranked seventh taking home 13 gold, 10 silver and 8 bronze medals.
Supporters of the team are also heading to London, to cheer the athletes.
"The experience (of being head of a group of supporters at the Sydney Olympics) brought me here. I prepared for this (London Olympics) for two years. I will take more than 100 supporters to London," said Lee Dong-soo, head of a supporting group.
A small group of supporters also appeared at the lobby, holding up a banner with a Korean slogan, "Those who are heading to London are already our heroes. Way to go!"
"I know our team members have done their best up to now. I hope they can perform well showing 100 percent of their skills in London. Go for it!" said Yoo Jae-hoon, a supporter.
Park Geun-hye, the frontrunner to win South Korea's presidential election, met and hugged the national team members.
The squad will participate in 22 of 26 sport events as the country failed to qualify for basketball, tennis, equestrian and canoe.
Seoul's Yonhap News agency says South Korea sent 51 athletes in seven sports to London in 1948 for its first Olympics after the end of the Japanese rule (1910-45). The country won two bronze medals in weightlifting and boxing. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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