Competing in neighboring China, South Korean Olympians have been imposed high expectations by their enthusiastic countrymen as well as the local media, though the country's sports authority remains a low-key.

"Team South Korea will spare no efforts at Beijing Olympics and vie for a medal table position within the top ten," Lee Yeon Taek, president of Korean Olympic Committee (KOC), told media recently.

The target, however, could be proved a modest one for the South Koreans, who finished the ninth four years ago in Athens with nine gold, 12 silver and nine bronze medals, while the country's rankings of medal total in the other five previous Games since 1984 have never been lower than the 12th.

South Korea, which made its Olympic debut in London in 1948 and claimed the first gold 32 years ago in Montreal, was best placed the fourth in 1988 when the host nation fielded a 602-strong delegation to compete in 21 sports and collected 12 golds, 10 silver and 11 bronze on home soil.

And this time, to compete in the Olympic Games in neighboring China will also favor South Korea and the other East Asian nations besides the hosts.

The time difference between Beijing and Seoul is only one hour, and the weather and many other conditions, such as the temperature and humidity, as well as the dietary habits of the Koreans and Chinese, are quit similar.

Also the convenient traffic lines between the two countries make it possible for more Koreans to travel to Beijing to stand behind their athletes.

Lee, also chairman of the Korea Sports Council, has called up the countrymen to pay more public support and attention for the Olympians.

"Active public support would help to maximize the athletes' performances in the Games," said the KOC chief last Tuesday in a forum in downtown Seoul.