National team leaves for worlds in China

Korea’s national table tennis team will depart today for the 2015 World Table Tennis Championships in Suzhou, China, that runs from Sunday to May 3.

A total of 10 players (five men and five women) will compete in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

The men’s team is led by 35-year-old veteran Joo Se-hyuk, ranked 17th in the world. Also on the team are Lee Sang-su, Seo Hyun-deok, Jung Young-sik and Kim Min-seok.

World No. 11 Seo Hyo-won will lead the women’s with Park Young-sook, and Yang Ha-eun. Lee Zion and Hwang Ji-na are appearing at the worlds for the first time.

The team’s best chance for medals is in mixed doubles, especially Lee Sang-su and Park Young-sook. They won silver medals at the last worlds in Paris in 2013 and the Asian Championships in the same year.

BY JOO KYUNG-DON [joo.kyungdon@joongang.co.kr]