Jasmine Lee represents theme of Asian Games
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Jasmine Lee, left, carries the South Korean national flag with seven other flag bearers during the Incheon Asian Games’ opening ceremony at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium in Yeonhi-dong, Friday. Other bearers included golf star Pak Se-ri, mountain climber Um Hong-gil, marathoner Kim Bong-joo and three-time Asiad gold medalist Lim Chun-ae. The Philippine-born Lee is the country’s first naturalized Korean to be elected as a lawmaker. / Yonhap
By Kwon Ji-youn
It would be difficult to find a better person than Jasmine Lee to represent the theme of the Incheon Asian Games’ opening ceremony on Friday night ― “Diversity Shines Here.”
Selected as one of Korea’s flag bearers during the event at the Incheon Asiad Main Stadium, the Philippine-born lawmaker in Korea demonstrated one of the things the festival of Asians hopes to achieve.
“I believe I was chosen to carry the flag because I think I, as the country’s first naturalized Korean to be elected a lawmaker, represent well the message that the country is trying to get through to Asia and to the world at this year’s Games: build mutual communication, reconciliation and peace,” Lee of the ruling Saenuri Party told The Korea Times hours before the ceremony.
“I’ve worked to spread the word about the value of multiculturalism so that Asians can come together in harmony. I hope that all Koreans and immigrants will be able to truly enjoy the festivities together.”
According to the Asiad organizing committee, the selected flag-bearers were prominent figures who have worked for the promotion of Korea overseas.
Jasmine Lee meets with Incheon Asian Games Organizing Committee President Kim Young-soo at the latter’s office in Incheon on June 16, after she was named as a goodwill ambassador to help multi-cultural families in the country enjoy the sporting event. The Philippine-born is the country’s first naturalized Korean to be elected as a lawmaker. / Courtesy of Jasmine Lee
Lee obtained Korean citizenship in 1998 and was elected to the National Assembly in 2012. She has since worked to positively impact the country’s views and resolve misunderstandings on multiculturalism, and also serves as secretary general of the Waterdrop Society of Korea, a charity formed by foreign spouses of Koreans. In June, she was named the Incheon Asiad’s goodwill ambassador for multiculturalism.
Lee and seven other flag bearers carried the taegukgi, or the Korean national flag, into the arena during part three of the five-part ceremony, following the entrance of delegations from the other 44 participating countries in Korean alphabetical order.
The Japanese delegation entered 29th and the Chinese entered 31st. The 273-strong North Korean delegation entered the stadium 30th, under its official name the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
“I think it an honor to be able to bear the taegukki into the arena at the opening ceremony,” Lee said. “As a festival for some 4.5 billion Asians, I hope that the participating countries will become one for a successful Asiad.”
Some 14,500 athletes and staff from all 45 member countries of the Olympics Council of Asia will compete in 36 sports at this year’s Asiad. Lee is looking forward to watching the performance of Korean archers, who have bagged 33 gold medals since the sport became an event at the Asian Games in 1978.
“I’m also looking forward to seeing fencer Nam Hyun-hee compete, as she has promised to take home a gold medal to her 16-month-old daughter,” Lee said.
“Also, people in the Philippines love and enjoy playing basketball, and I’m sure they’re looking forward to a strong performance by the Philippines’ basketball team, the Gilas.”
The seven other flag bearers included golf star Pak Se-ri, mountain climber Um Hong-gil, marathoner Kim Bong-joo and three-time Asiad gold medalist Lim Chun-ae. Actor Hyun Bin, ballerina Kang Sue-jin and Seok Hae-kyun, captain of a vessel rescued from Somali pirates in 2011, also joined them.