Feng Tianwei and Co will be up against South Korea when they begin their campaign at the World Team Table Tennis Championships next month in Tokyo.

Singapore was grouped with the Koreans, Russia, Netherlands, France and Luxembourg in Group C when the draw was conducted on Saturday afternoon.

While a drop in world ranking from No. 3 to No. 5 meant losing a top four seeding, the team managed to escape being drawn with powerhouse China (Group A) and Olympic silver medallist Japan (Group B).

But old foes South Korea, ranked third in the world, remain a formidable side.

The top team in each group will receive a bye into the quarter-finals, while the second and third ranked teams will face off in the round of 16.

Singapore were runners-up at the last team world championships two years ago in Dortmund, losing 0-3 to China. The team then was made up of Feng, and veterans Li Jiawei and Wang Yuegu. The latter two have since retired.

The team competing at the April 28-May 5 tournament will be a younger one consisting of Feng, Yu Mengyu, Isabelle Li and Yee Herng Hwee.

Meanwhile, the national men's team have been drawn in Group B with second seeds Germany, Hong Kong, Croatia, Denmark and Ukraine. The Singapore men's team are ranked No. 15 in the world.