Pyeongchang Olympics Crucial to Advance to Developed Countries

With only 50 days away before the announcement of host city of the 2014 winter Olympics, the government and businesses are making every effort to help Pyeongchang win the bid. President Roh Moo-hyun held a luncheon meeting at Cheong Wa Dae with government officials and business leaders and promised to continue supporting the Pyeongchang bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics.

President Roh said on the prospects for the bid, “The outlook is a lot better. Now we have to exert every effort to drum up support.” Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee and former Doosan Group president Pak Yong-sung, both members of the international Olympic Committee, attended the meeting.

Samsung Chairman Lee Geun-hee promised full support, saying, “If we succeed in winning the bid, the Pyeongchang Olympics will serve as a crucial chance for Korea to join the ranks of advanced countries with $30,000 GDP per capita.” He has actively participated in efforts to win the host bid, such as welcoming the International Olympic Committee (IOC) assessment team visiting the candidate city.

He is scheduled to attend a general IOC meeting in Guatemala on July 4, which will select the host of the international sporting event. President Roh was asked to attend the meeting from the participants in the luncheon meeting and responded, “I will consider the matter if it is beneficial for the nation.”

Doosan Group President Pak Yong-sung has also been working hard to host the Olympics in Pyeongchang as his IOC membership was recently restored in an IOC executive board meeting in April. A Doosan official said, “The president serves with the International Judo Federation, has a broad network in the sports field, and intends to take advantage of his position to strengthen Pyeongchang’s bid.”

Cho Yang-ho, Chairman of Hanjin Transportation, is enhancing his support for Pyeongchang by mobilizing Korean Air and other companies in the business group as he became the advisor of the bid committee.

Hur Dong-soo, President and CEO of GS Caltex, is taking advantage of his wide footing in the Middle East to lobby IOC members in the region into supporting Pyeongchang’s bid.

higgledy@donga.com jyw11@donga.com