Seoul Olympics' lessons for 2018 PyeongChang

In the summer of 1988 young people lined up to purchase tickets for an Olympic lottery introduced to spur young people's interest in the quadrennial event and also to raise funds (Korea Times file). Hosting mega international events requires the work of so many people. Needless to say, the role of government officials and diplomats is crucial to bringing the events like the Olympics to their countries.

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The nation was collectively jubilant when the remote mountainous town of PyeongChang was confirmed as the host of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games after three failed bids in July.

One of the most detailed accounts of the story of the 1988 Summer Olympic Games was recently re-published on the occasion of PyeongChang's successful bid.

"The 1988 Seoul Olympics: A Success Story" by Chyung Sang-jin, a former career diplomat, is a book on how Korea prepared to bid for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games.

From a government official's point of view, the book tells the backstage stories of how the newly democratized Korea dealt with an unprecedented task in its modern history - taking on the role of Olympic host for the first time.

While Koreans over 30 years of age remember the triumph of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, younger people are not as aware of the event that had a monumental impact on Korea's future.

More than 13,000 athletes and sports officials from 160 countries participated in the largest-ever festival up to that time.

Chyung said that he re-published the book, originally published in 1989, for young Koreans who don't have any memory of the Seoul Games.

"Compared to 30 years ago, we are so much better off economically, but it pains me to see so many young people dejected about their situation. I hope that in encountering this book, young readers will regain confidence in their nation and start looking for what they can do as citizens to make PyeongChang a great success", Chyung said in the preface.

Chyung previously served as the deputy secretary-general of international relations at the Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee after leaving the foreign ministry which he first joined in 1950.

During his time with the committee, he talked frequently with the foreign press, including the Japan Times and the Los Angeles Times, about Korea's preparations for the Olympics and what the nation sought to achieve by hosting the event.

Copies of these interviews are re-printed in the book.

As an official of a divided nation, he responded to concerns of the international community about Korea's security status.

"It is important that we are able to host the Olympics for peace, for the promotion of international relations and for expressing ourselves and to show our country to the world", the author told the Los Angeles Times in 1988 shortly before the opening of the games on Sept. 17.

The U.S. daily lauded Korea's preparations, saying "after years of turmoil, getting to set the stage for the Olympics appears to be a simple matter for this city of 9.5 million".

Stressing that the Games was "an arena for all nations", Korea had hoped to form new ties with socialist states, according to an interview he gave to the Japan Times. "The Games have the potential to bring improvements in trade relations between Korea and socialist states which have no diplomatic ties with the Republic (of Korea)".

In 1981, Chyung was appointed vice president of the Korea Olympic Committee, which is how he started his lengthy relationship with Olympic diplomacy.

He was involved with PyeongChang's former bid in 2003, visiting the IOC general assembly in Prague as a member of the bidding committee.

Advice for PyeongChang

The former ambassador to Peru anticipated that one of the biggest outcomes of the PyeongChang Winter Games in 2018 will be a boost in tourism for Gangwon Province.

"PyeongChang and its vicinity have the potential to become a major resort town in Northeast Asia, given that accessibility is improved through ready transportation", Chyung wrote.

Today, about 1.5 million tourists visit the region a year, a significant increase from 1999 when the region drew only around 200,000 visitors.

As home to some of the most scenic natural beauty and comprehensive leisure facilities in the nation, PyeongChang is hoping to duplicate the success of Lake Placid of the United States during and after the 1980 Winter Games, in attracting tourists and international events.

To that end, he underlined the importance of the government's support for PyeongChang's preparations ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

"The central government should work with PyeongChang with the same level of devotion that the officials had for Seoul back then. In particular, transportation projects to improve railway and highway connections to PyeongChang should be completed soon". jhdo@koreatimes.co.kr

By Do Je-hae