PyeongChang organizers express regret over contrary governor
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Members of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) cheer during their first meeting of the New Year in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, Monday. / Courtesty of POCOG
Kwak Young-jin, vice president of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG), speaks at a press conference at the committee’s Seoul office, Tuesday. / Yonhap
By Nam Hyun-woo
The organizers for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games Tuesday hurriedly expressed their strong regret, Tuesday, over Gangwon Province Governor Choi Moon-soon’s recent remarks that he could consider sharing some events with North Korea.
“The organizing committee expresses its serious concern and strong regret over Governor Choi's remarks which only adversely affect the preparation for the PyeongChang Olympic Games and let down Gangwon Province residents and the public,” said PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) Vice President of Planning and Administration Kwak Young-jin.
During a hurriedly organized news conference at its Seoul office, he reiterated POCOG's earlier stance that it will not split any events, including the much-touted sliding events, outside the country.
“The government has made its stance clear that the discussion over splitting the Olympics is meaningless because the PyeongChang Games will come to Korea after three bidding efforts and we have already begun the construction of all venues,” Kwak said.
POCOG's haste came after Choi said that he could consider a request from North Korea to host some events.
“Though it might be physically impossible, I feel it is necessary that we should consider splitting the Olympics in a symbolic sense, if the North wants to,” Choi said Monday, adding it is his personal view.
The remarks were in stark contrast to the stance of the government, POCOG and even his own previous speech, in which he staunchly opposed sharing the event.
Over the POCOG's unusually strong response to Choi's remark, speculation was raised that this was because Choi is a member of opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy, but Kwak denied it.
“It is not to make any conflict. It is to make one voice among the government, POCOG and Gangwon Province,” he said.