 |
| Moo Hyun Roh:" I believe that Korea hosting the Winter Olympics will mark a definite line in the history of mankind and in the history of the Olympic Games." |
| |
(ATR) The president of South Korea tells Around the Rings that the 2014 Winter Olympics will be as meaningful to the country as the 1988 Games in Seoul.
“By hosting the 1988 Olympics successfully, this was an opportunity for Korea to upgrade itself and to be recognized by the international community,” said Moo Hyun Roh during an interview at the Blue House, the official residence of the Korean head of state.
“Many Koreans, myself included, think of the 1988 Olympics as an event which changed the very nature of Korea. We often talk of pre-88 Olympic Korea and the Korea after the Olympic Games.
“This time by hosting the winter Olympics, I believe this will foster in the minds of the Korean people that we are truly a developed nation,” said Roh.
Besides Korea’s self-image, Roh says better relations with North Korea will be an outcome of the Games in PyeongChang.
“My understanding of the Olympic spirit is that it promotes peace and reconciliation through sport and it stops wars.
“There are parts of the world that desperately need such peace and prosperity, such as the Korean peninsula. And in that sense I believe that Korea hosting the Winter Olympics will mark a definite line in the history of mankind and in the history of the Olympic Games,” says the Korean leader.
“With the 2014 Olympics, we will be able to host this event as a celebration together with North Korea, a celebration of peace.
“Sports is an area where there is North-South cooperation. I would say this is the only area where we are fully cooperating with North Korea.
“Before now we had some areas cooperation with North Korea, such as unified teams, we’ve entered opening ceremonies together, but the cooperation I’m envisioning for PyeongChang Olympics will far exceed these levels. We will truly have a forum for friendship and reconciliation.
“And I hope this will have a spillover affect into other areas such as politics and social areas,” says Roh.
President Roh also says the Games in Korea would also benefit winter sport.
“To be frank, the level of winter sports in Asia is not very high. If Korea manages to host the Winter Olympics, I believe this will be a major contribution to promoting and enhancing the level of winter sports in the Asian region.”
Roh spoke with ATR shortly after meeting with the IOC 2014 Evaluation Commission in the final hours of its visit to Korea. Along with the Korean president, leaders of all the major parties took part in the meeting.
President Roh says that is a testament to the depth of support for the PyeongChang bid.
“They have divergent views on many issues across the board. But on this issue of hosting the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, there is no division. They fully agree, fully support each other in this effort.”
Ro
 |
| Roh says it has not been decided whether he will campaign for PyeongChang at the Guatemala IOC Session. |
| |
h, who will step down this year, limited by a single five-year term, says that regardless of changes in the Blue House, the future presidents of Korea will support Olympics preparation.
“By 2014, there will be a total of three presidents, myself included,” he says.
“No president will turn back promises made by the previous presidency,” says Roh.
For his part, President Roh says he will be involved in the international campaign for PyeongChang in the final months leading up to the IOC’s July 4th vote in Guatemala. Roh says whether he goes to Guatemala in July is still being studied.
“I think the most that I can do as president is to make sure that I can support them in preparing for this bid, to pool the national capacity to host this event successfully.
“Furthermore, I think I can do much to convince the rest of the world that this is an important event that ties in with enhancing peace and security internationally. I believe this is one of my important roles,” said the president.
More comments from the Korean president about the relationship with North Korea and the Olympics bid, as well as Korea’s aspirations to hold other sport events besides the Olympics, in the Feb 23. issue of the Around the Rings weekly.
Your best source of news about the Olympics is http://www.aroundtherings.com/, for subscribers only.