South Korean karate athletes will test their skills in Iran for the last time before next month's Incheon Asian Games.
 
Eight athletes of the Korean National Karate team headed Saturday to Iran with their Iranian coach Ahmed Safi.
 
Iran won seven gold medals at the Asian Karatedo Federation (AKF) Senior Championship last year and stands strongest in karate in Asia.
 
As many domestic karate competitions are held in Iran, the Korean team plans to take part in the local events to hone their skills for the Asian Games.
 
Coach Safi who has led the Korean team since 2008 said that Korean athletes have sharply improved their performance and have raised the prospect of becoming medal winners in the upcoming games in Incheon.
 
He said competition will be tough against top notch players from Iran and Japan but that he will encourage the athletes to do their best in the Asian Games.
 
Team Korea aims for a gold medal at the Incheon Asiad which opens September 19.