Lee pledges to orchestrate success in PyeongChang Games
Lee hee-beom, president of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games, speaks during an interview at the organizing committee’s office in Seoul. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
POCOG chief says `no retreat' for success of Winter Olympics
By Baek Byung-yeul
Lee Hee-beom, president of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Games (POCOG), has one thing on his mind — how to successfully host Korea’s first-ever Winter Olympics.
During a recent interview with The Korea Times at POCOG headquarters in Seoul, Lee vowed to show the world a triumphant Winter Games by maximizing the committee’s manpower.
The former trade minister, who was appointed as new chief of POCOG in May, said he will do his utmost to closely communicate and cooperate with the members of the organizing committee.
“I’ve acknowledged that many have been questioning my ability to fill the leadership role. But whenever I hear those worries, I always answer that I don’t need to be good at everything,” Lee said.
He said that what’s important is how he allocates human resources for the best outcome.
“As many said, I may not be good at playing violin or piano, but I have my eyes and ears and can verify who the best performers are. I can orchestrate them all under one roof as a conductor.”
Upon succeeding former POCOG chief Cho Yang-ho, who abruptly resigned from the post to tend to his business in early May, the 67-year-old chief also urged that this was a time to unite as one to host a successful Olympics.
Senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) members have also offered a vote of confidence in Lee.
“After being appointed, I attended the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board Meeting in June and one of the board members told me that ‘you should be the last one,’” Lee said.
“I heartily agree with that. We have only a year-and-a-half left till the 2018 Games and to whoever I meet I always say I am a ‘no retreat, no surrender’ kind of chief.”
He said he is fully ready to listen to every proposal that can help to make a successful Olympics. His business card has various contact numbers, including personal cell phone number and personal email address.
“One thing I am good at is sleeping less so give me some idea of what you think we should do anytime. I am open 24/7.”
Priority is funding
Stating that his priority as a new chief is funding, Lee said he will accomplish 90 percent of the corporate sponsorship goal (870 billion won or $731 million) by the end of this year.
“We are currently working on setting our fourth budget plan, which is expected to be about 2.2 trillion won ($1.9 billion),” Lee said.
When asked about the progress of infrastructure work, Lee said a high-speed rail link will be available by the end of next year.
“The construction of a high-speed railway connecting Seoul to Gangneung, one of the sub-hosts near PyeongChang will be completed by June next year. After going through a test period, it will officially begin operation by the end of next year. Once it is opened, it will take only 68 minutes to get to PyeongChang from Seoul,” he said.
POCOG has held several test events including skiing, snowboard and ski cross last February. Lee said there will be more test events starting in December.
“We have more test events from December to next April. We can take those events as great opportunities to display our capability and facilities,” he said.
Sharing his vision for the 2018 Olympics, Lee said PyeongChang will be green and high-tech.
“The PyeongChang Games will be environmentally-friendly as we plan to cut emissions of CO2 in cooperation with related government organizations by using electric vehicles during the games, for example. Also, we will fully utilize Korea’s advanced ICT (information and communication technology) to make a high-tech Olympics,” Lee said.
“Above all, I will make every effort to make the 2018 Games a festival for the whole world. We’ve already witnessed communist and democratic countries gathered together in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. PyeongChang is open to anyone who wants to enjoy the Games.”
The organizing committee is starting a campaign today to recruit 22,000 volunteers online from around the world over the next three months.
“I urge more Koreans to take part in the Games as volunteers because The 2018 PyeongChang Olympics will be an opportunity for them to make a contribution to upgrading the country’s global status.”