Juan Antonio Samaranch Former IOC President

By Sunny Lee
Korea Times Correspondent

BEIJING ― Juan Antonio Samaranch, the honorary president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), doesn't know whether Korea will finish in the top 10 in the gold medal count in the Beijing Olympics, but he's hopeful that Korea will do very well.

``I don't know about the Korea's expected ranking. But I am sure Korea will do very well,'' Samaranch told The Korea Times on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Korea press center for the Beijing Olympics, also known as the ``Korea House.''

Samaranch was the president of the IOC during the 1988 Seoul Olympics. ``I remember very well the immense success of the Olympic Games in 1988,'' he said in a speech at the ceremony, adding ``I will never forget all the good memories I had in Korea.''

He especially loved the theme song, ``Hand in Hand,'' of the Seoul Olympics. So much so that he even considered making it the permanent Olympic song, Chinese state media said.

The former IOC president said the Seoul Olympics had a transforming impact on Korea, making the Korea before the Olympics and after the Olympics very different.

He congratulated the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) and expressed his warm regards to the Korean Olympic team.

The opening ceremony was also attended by many other high ranking IOC officials including, IOC Vice President Chiharu Igaya, president of the association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) Mario Vazquez Rana, and 12 other IOC members.

Korean dignitaries included Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) President Lee Yeon-taek, Korea's Olympic team leader Kim Jung-haeng; Ambassador of Korea to China, Shin Jung-seung; President of the Korea Tourism Organization, Oh Ji-chul; and World Taekwondo Federation President Cho Jung-won.

Kim Un-yong, former IOC vice president, was also there and spoke with Samaranch for about two minutes. He also gave Samaranch a cutting from a Korean newspaper, showing the former IOC president from the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Korea is eyeing a top-10 finish in the gold medal race at the Beijing Olympics.

boston.sunny@gmail.com