Anchor: Less than a month away, attention is being drawn to the Asian Games set to be held in South Korea’s port city of Incheon. Anticipation is high as all 45 member countries of the Olympic Council of Asia, including North Korea, are participating in this year’s event.
Our Bae Joo-yon has more on what’s in store for the multi-sport competition.
 
Report: The countdown has begun for the Incheon Asian Games set to open September 19 in the port city of Incheon for a 16-day run.
 
All 45 member countries of the Olympic Council of Asia, including North Korea, will take part in the upcoming games.
 
Some 97-hundred athletes from the 45 countries will compete in the event, up more than eight percent than what was initially predicted.
 
Korea's organizing committee president Kim Young-soo stressed that all 36 events will be conducted in a fair manner.
 
[Sound bite: Kim Young-soo - President, Incheon Asian Games Organization Committee]
“We are aiming to win the hearts of Asian people through fair games and by getting rid of the advantages that come with being a host country.”
 
The committee is also hoping to win over the crowd with the opening and closing ceremonies to be directed by renowned film directors, Im Kwon-taek and Jang Jin.
 
While the budget for the Incheon Asian Games is only one-tenth of what China’s Guangzhou spent four years ago, the committee is still looking to pack a punch with the entertainment this year.
 
A large number of Hallyu stars will take part in the ceremonies, including singer PSY, boy band EXO, actress Lee Young-ae and actor Jang Dong-kun.
 
Amid the preparation, South Korea’s national teams for the Asian Games held a news conference on Wednesday and vowed to outperform Japan to rank second in the overall medal tally.
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News.