"Korea is the country that people has sports in their hearts," said Chiharu Igaya, the chairman of IOC Evaluation Commission, at the press conference after concluding the evaluation visit to PyeongChang last February.
The IOC Evaluation Commission cited the tremendous enthusiasm of the citizens, strong governmental backing and a compact venue plan as the strong points of PyeongChang. And they also praised the high quality presentations. PyeongChang completed the evaluation visit successfully, showing its differentiated rationale and legitimacy to the IOC effectively.
Now PyeongChang is running at a terrific speed to the final stage of the vote for the host city of 2014 Winter Games on 4 July in
Guatemala.
PyeongChang meets all the necessary requirements to successfully stage the Games having learned lessons from the bid activities for the 2010 Winter Games, with superb natural conditions, venues qualified by International Federations, construction of Alpensia complex, and the experience gained through hosting numerous international competitions etc.
Especially, PyeongChang is persuading the IOC and others with the unique rationales to expand winter sports to Asia and beyond, to fulfill the objectives of the Olympic Movement and to contribute to the harmonious co-operation of the two Koreas while promoting world peace.
"Athletes-First Games"
The most compact concept PyeongChang is dedicated to providing "Athletes-First Games" the most compact concept Games. In order to do this, the tournament site consists of two clusters with snow sports located in PyeongChang and all ice sports in Gangneung, a city 30 minutes away from PyeongChang. And athletes can move from accommodation to venues within 10 minutes.
Expansion of winter sports across Asia and beyond
Korea is close to becoming a strong power in winter sports.
Recently Korea has shown strong achievements at international competitions, such as 7th in the medals table at the 2006
Turin Winter Games, Champion of ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating (Kim Yu-Na), 1st overall at the 2007 Winter Universiade, gold medal and a world record at the ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating
Championships in Salt Lake City (Lee Kang-suk), Champion of 2007 ISU World Sprint Championships and a gold medal at the 2007 Asian Winter Games (Lee Kyuhyuk), five gold medals at the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Milan (Ahn Hyun-Soo and Jin Sun-Yu),
and men and women joint champions of curling at the Asian Winter Games.
In particular, success has been achieve in diverse sports such as curling, figure skating, and speed skating including short track
which has been a strong sport for Korean for decades.
Furthermore, PyeongChang has proved its capability by successfully hosting various international events. From 1997 to 2006, 43 international competitions have been held in PyeongChang including the '99 Winter Asian Games, FIS World Cup, ISU World Cup etc. Also, PyeongChang successfully staged the 2007 Interski Congress, a festival for all skiers, and the 2007 Snowboard World Cup this year.
Although the status of Korea and the rest of Asia in winter sports has developed, comparatively the basis is still weak due to
a smaller winter sports population, lack of facilities to enjoy a variety of winter sports and a short history of them.
However, the potential of Asia with 4 billion people is boundless. The 2014 Winter Games in PyeongChang can be an opportunity to boost winter sports in Asia and a significant impetus to assist PyeongChang be the hub of winter sports in Asia.
The Dream Program, the contribution to the promotion of winter
sports for the Next Generation
PyeongChang's efforts to develop and expand winter sports have already been continuing through the Dream Program, the commitment made by PyeongChang and Gangwon Province to the IOC during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games bid process.
As part of its Dream Program, PyeongChang invites youths and future athletes from parts of the world where winter sports are not available, such as Africa and South America, and provides them with
chances to experience and practice winter sports. A total of 463 youths from 36 countries have participated since 2004.
PyeongChang hopes to expand winter sports horizontally across Asia and the rest of the world and vertically to future generations
through the Dream Program. Besides, it contributes to the IOC's Olympic Movement objective that states 'Sports and the Olympic Games should be available to everyone in all countries.'
As shown by the case of Bria Ilie of Moldova, who was on the 2005 Dream Program, and competed for his nation at the 2006 Turin Winter Games, the Dream Program has achieved impressive results despite being in its initial stages.
PyeongChang plans to continuously expand and develop the program and will open the New Dream Program from 2011.
True Realization of Peace and Harmony, Olympism
Peace is a main objective of Olympism, as stated in the Olympic Charter. Hosting the 2014 Olympic Winter Games will be a historical landmark which will help to transform the region from the symbol of division to the symbol of peace, contributing to the harmonious co-operation of the two Koreas while promoting world peace.
PyeongChang believes that sports, the Olympic Games and the IOC could play a decisive role in this important effort.
Notably, hosting the 2014 Olympic Winter Games at PyeongChang will bring an end to Cold War rivalries and contribute to reconciliation in the divided peninsula, as it did in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games,
fulfilling the Olympic ideals of peace and harmony.
Kim Jin-sun, governor of Gangwon Province and the Executive president of PyeongChang 2014 Olympic Winter Games bid committee, visited Pyongyang, North Korea, on 22-25 November on North Korea's official invitation and agreed North Korea's full support and cooperation for the PyeongChang's bid.
In the agreement, North Korea declared support and full cooperation for PyeongChang's bid, and if it wins the bid, North Korea would consider a unified team of two Koreas, organising training together,
participating in opening and closing ceremonies together.
Gangwon Province will contribute to world peace and prosperity by hosting the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in the last divided region in the world inviting North Korea's youths as part of its 'Dream Program' and develop a South-North youth training camp.
Alpensia Resort Olympic Complex as the Hub of Winter Sports in Asia
The Alpensia Resort to be established in PyeongChang, a sports resort complex, is one of the important infrastructures needed for the 2014 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games. About US$ 1.13 billion budget is being invested. It will be built on land of 4.91 , with world class facilities, service, management and all other aspects.
When the IOC Evaluation Commission visited the construction site of Alpensia Resort in February, they were impressed and made favorable comments. After the 2014 Winter Games, the Alpensia Resort will form a tourism cluster and become a hub of tourism in Northeast Asia, by continuous investment and management.
The Olympic Area is scheduled to be completed by October 2007 with the Resort Zone by August 2008. In addition, it has been selected to host the 2009 Biathlon World Championships.
A top-priority on the national agenda and passionate public enthusiasm
The Government of the Republic of Korea is providing strong support for PyeongChang's bid for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, proclaiming it a national top priority.
The Korean Government launched the Government Support Committee chaired by the Prime Minister, providing PyeongChang with full government-wide support, offering 50% of financial support for the competition venues and transport network, and full financial support for public services of infrastructure, security, medical services, customs, etc.President Roh Moo-hyun of the Republic of Korea reconfirmed his strong support for PyeongChang's bid for the 2014
Olympic Winter Games to the IOC Evaluation Commission during its visit to PyeongChang. In his welcoming message he said that hosting the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in the last divided country in the world will contribute to peace in the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia, declaring strong commitment by the government for PyeongChang's bid.
96.0% of PyeongChang residents, 97.3% of residents from Gangwon Province and 91.6% of Korean population have pledged their full support for hosting the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, according to the survey conducted by TNS Korea, pollster, in November last year.
Kim Jin-sun, governor of Gangwon Province and executive president of PyeongChang 2014 Olympic Winter Games bid committee, said:
"Definitely, passionate support from Korean people and strong commitment of the government is a motivation for PyeongChang's bid for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. On this basis, we will promote PyeongChang's unique rationale and legacy, the expansion of winter sports across Asia and beyond, contributing to the world peace by hosting Winter Olympic Games in the last divided country, to IOC members and Olympic Family. The 2014 Olympic Winter Games should be awarded in PyeongChang."
PyeongChang the candidate city for the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, provides unique and obvious rationales to host the Games. Those are the expansion of winter sports in Asia and beyond, contribution to peace and harmony, and the promise to make differentiated Games, changing the previous paradigm by creating the 'Ubiquitous Games' and 'Environmentally-friendly Games.'
While three candidates, Sochi of Russia, Salzburg of Austria and PyeongChang of Korea, are competing in the bid campaign, if PyeongChang succeeds in communicating its unique rationales effectively, we may expect the cheers of PyeongChang in Guatemala in July.
