By Jun Ji-hye
Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin will stay at PyeongChang during the entire Olympic period to carry out active sports diplomacy, according to company officials.
The Winter Olympics began Friday and will close Feb. 25.
Officials from the retail giant said Shin arrived at the host city of the Olympic Games in Gangwon Province on the eve of the opening ceremony. He will attend the closing ceremony as well.
“Upon his arrival, Chairman Shin received his Olympic accreditation (AD) card and then attended the dinner of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at Kensington Flora Hotel in Gangneung,” a Lotte official said.
Shin has assumed the role as the chief of the Korea Ski Association since November 2014.
During his stay, Shin will watch various competitions, including alpine skiing, ski jumping, snowboarding and cross-country races, in person.
As the chief of the ski association, he also plans to meet with South Korean athletes, coaches and Olympic staff participating in the 17-day Games to encourage them, the official said.
Shin’s stay at PyeongChang will be highlighted by his meetings with members of the IOC as well as the International Ski Federation (FIS), during which time he plans to carry out active sports diplomacy.
The chairman of the nation’s fifth-largest conglomerate started skiing when he was six years old and was a skier while at university.
He exhibited professional-level skills while skiing down the slopes last year when he visited the ski area of PyeongChang with the coaching staff for the Korean national team.
The company said Shin has particular interest in his role as the chief of the ski association, as well as his role as the group chairman, citing that he is briefed about the association issues every month.
In November, he visited Switzerland to attend an FIS meeting even though he was busy at the time due to trials. In the European country he promoted preparations at PyeongChang and the Olympic values of peace to the FIS members.
“Shin will have his 63th birthday at PyeongChang as it falls on Feb. 14,” the official said. “But he is showing strong will to contribute to the success of the Olympics.”
Shin is awaiting a court decision scheduled for Feb. 13 over bribery allegations, which involved former President Park Geun-hye’s massive corruption and influence-peddling scandal that led to her impeachment.
Prosecutors demanded a four-year term for the business tycoon on Dec. 14.
Insiders say Shin will return to Seoul for a short while to attend a verdict hearing and go back to PyeongChang the next day.