POSTED: December 15th 2011
NewsUpdate
EXCLUSIVE: PyeongChang 2018 chief Kim speaks up on laying the right foundation for the Games
LAURA WALDEN in Seoul / Sports Features Communications
SEOUL: Several months after the launching of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee Olympic Games (POCOG) newly appointed president Jin-Sun Kim speaks exclusively with SportsFeatures.com as the works get off the ground to deliver the Games.
Kim has felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders to truly make the New Horizons dream come to life.
As we begin this cycle of growth for the first Asian winter Games in almost two decades, there is much excitement in the air even among local businesses who are starting to revise their future plans to reap the benefits of hosting the biggest sports event on earth.
But Kim is focusing on the nuts and bolts of building a concrete foundation to grow on.
Now the winter sports season is open in PyeongChang and it has been several months since POCOG has been established. What is the organizing committee focusing on in these beginning stages?
JIN-SUN KIM: It has been about two months since I became the President of the PyeongChang 2018 Organizing Committee.
Since I took office, POCOG has been working closely with the government and the National Assembly for the early enactment of the Special Law aimed at supporting the 2018 Olympic and Parlaympic Winter Games and securing an adequate budget for Olympic facilities, including venues and infrastructure.
Concerning the construction projects that require a long period of time, including building venues and access roads, we are committed to ensuring a smooth progress in the construction design (CD) phase and timely undertaking of the actual construction.
In addition, we are reaching out to the public across the country to increase their support and interest toward the 2018 Games. Our aim is to continue the desire and commitment toward hosting the most memorable Games ever as people from all facets of Korean society demonstrated during our bidding process.
In the early stages, I believe it is critical that we do things right in laying a strong foundation for preparing for successful Games.
To this end, we will do our best to finish setting up our Secretariat, which will be tasked with efficiently conducting administrative works, within this year and ensure the early enactment of the Special Law to obtain a legal ground for the successful delivery of the Games.
POCOG will work closely with the IOC in establishing the Games Foundation Plan.
Based on this plan, we will thoroughly prepare for organizing the best Games ever in all aspects, including the SOC, marketing plans, and competition venues.
What is the most important accomplishment you need to carry out before the next IOC Coordination Commission?
JIN-SUN KIM: Most importantly, getting our roadmap absolutely ready for preparing for the Games.
The most pressing issue faced by POCOG is establishing the "Games Foundation Plan" and "OCOG Marketing Plan" based on PyeongChang's goals towards the Games, because that is a prerequisite of delivering successful Games.
In a measure to prepare detailed and realistic plans to organize successful Games, we will finalize the first drafts of "Games Foundation Plan“ and "OCOG Marketing Plan” and then have in-depth discussions with the IOC Coordination Commission during their inaugural site visit to PyeongChang scheduled next March.
We will make sure all stakeholders, such as the Organizing Committee, the government, Gangwon Province, KOC KPC, and related companies, come together as a whole to make collective efforts to lay a strong foundation for successful Games. We will also join forces with the private sector so that we get everyone involved in our efforts.
It is expected that winter sports tourism will be on the rise this year and Gangwon has been organizing some cultural activities to go along with the season. When do you plan to start putting the Best of Korea cultural plan together?
JIN-SUN KIM: The winning of the bid for the 2018 Games has made PyeongChang more recognized, and thanks to the increasing popularity of K-pop, which is the driving force of promoting the Korean Wave, we are seeing more and more people coming to enjoy the cultural programs linked to the winter sports season of PyeongChang and Gangwon Province.
The 2018 PyeongChang bid committee proposed the "Best of Korea," which is designed to enhance the image and international standing of PyeongChang and to allow visitors to enjoy, feel, and experience the best of Korea in PyeongChang.
To realize a successful Cultural Olympiad that PyeongChang proposed, we will implement this program in phases in line with the planning of the cultural events required by the IOC.
Did you ever think during all the past three bids that you might be in charge of the PyeongChang 2018 winter Games?
JIN-SUN KIM: To be honest, I did not expect I would lead the Organizing Committee.
I was frustrated after the two failed bids, but as I received many messages from the IOC members encouraging me to give it another try, I thought this might be my destiny.
I already mentioned my destiny revolving around the Olympics in my presentation at the last IOC Session in Durban where the host city was announced, but now I have a stronger faith in my calling as I became the President of the PyeongChang2018 Organizing Committee.
I hope I could contribute to the preparation of the Games until 2018, directly or indirectly and regardless of my position, and I will spare no effort to ensure the 2018 Games be a success.
Keywords · PyeongChang 2018 · Jin Sun Kim · Olympics · winter Games
For more information contact:
Laura Walden ()
All original materials contained in this section are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Sports Features Communications, Inc the owner of that content. It is prohibited to alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.
