South Korean athletes competing at this year's Summer Universiade departed for Taiwan on Thursday.
South Korea will be represented in 22 sports by 319 athletes and 96 officials at the Aug. 19-30 competition in Taipei. Some university athletes are already in the Taiwanese capital due to the schedule of their competition. On Thursday, the main delegation of some 110 athletes flew to Taipei.
South Korea topped the Summer Universiade for the first time two years ago when the multisport event was staged at home. In Gwangju, South Koreans won 47 golds, 33 silvers and 28 bronzes to lead all countries in the medal standings.
For this year's Universiade, South Korea aims to finish inside the top three in the medal race with at least 23 gold medals. The South Korean delegation includes archers Kim Woo-jin and Choi Mi-sun, who both won a gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Sabre fencer Gu Bon-gil, gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympics, and judoka An Ba-ul, who claimed silver at the Rio Games, will also compete at the Universiade. (Yonhap)