President Roh Moo-hyun said Sunday that he would seek a unified Korean team in the 2014 Winter Olympics if PyeongChang wins the bid to be decided in Guatemala on July 4, the Associated Press reported.
President Roh Moo-hyun arrived in Guatemala on Sunday to push PyeongChang's Olympic bid in the tight race against Sochi, Russia, and Salzburg, Austria.
``I'm just here to lend my support,'' Roh said Sunday night in an interview with reporters of three international agencies of the AP, the Reuters and the AFP.
``I'm here as a messenger of the Korean people. I don't believe this is any competition between the three leaders. The essence of this contest is how prepared the cities are. This is not a competition of a political nature,'' the AP said.
PyeongChang finished a close second to Vancouver, British Columbia, in the vote for the 2010 Winter Games four years ago, and is viewed as a strong contender after receiving the best overall review in a technical IOC evaluation report a month ago.
If PyeongChang wins, Roh said, ``the Korean people are ready to go crazy over these Olympic Games.''
``If we don't win,'' he said with a smile, ``I personally fear for my safety.''
Roh hopes the two Koreas will form a unified team if the Olympics are held in PyeongChang. The Koreas marched together in the Olympic opening ceremonies in Sydney, Athens and Turin, but competed with separate teams. The two sides are still negotiating for a possible joint team at next year's Beijing Games.
``We both want a unified team, there is no doubt,'' the AP quoted Roh as saying.
``We are still negotiating and talking about how to compose the team. What is encouraging is an unprecedented level of trust between the two Koreas. If we get to compose a unified team it will be a very big present not only to Korea, but to all others participating in the games.''
The two Koreas have made little headway on the proposed unified team since their agreement to discuss the plan in 2005. South Korea has insisted athletes be selected based on performance, while the North demands equal representation. The two sides last met in February.