Most of Olympic team returns home

The bulk of the South Korean delegation to the Games of the 27th Olympiad in Sydney returned home Tuesday.

The Korean athletes and officials, who finished 12th in the medal standings with eight golds, nine silvers and 11 bronzes, were given a warm welcome by their families, friends and sports officials at Kimpo International Airport.

Upon arrival at the airport, the delegation held a press conference at the VIP lounge and went home with family members.

The press conference was attended by Kim Un-Yong, president of the Korea Olympic Committee, delegation chief Lee Sang-Chul and medallists such as Yun Mi-Jin who, won two golds in archery, the male archery trio of Chang Yong-Ho, Oh Kyo-Moon and Kim Chung-Tae, who garnered gold in the team event, and Kang Cho-Hyun, who took the silver medal in the women's air rifle competition, the first medal for Korea.

The Olympic athletes will be warming up for the 81st National Sports Meet to open in Busan on Oct. 12.

Kim Sang-Ho hyangsan@donga.com