2018 Committee Launched
By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
After coming painfully close in its two previous attempts, PyeongChang is hoping that its third bid for the Winter Olympics will be different.
PyeongChang launched its official campaign for the 2018 Winter Olympics as the bidding committee held its inaugural general meeting Monday in Seoul.
The committee, comprised of 76 members from a variety of fields, is headed by Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho and Gangwon Province Governor Kim Jin-sun.
The group also has 10 advisers, such as IOC member Lee Kun-hee and FIFA Vice President Chung Mong-joon.
"I have a heavy responsibility as chairman," Cho admitted.
"I will make the most of my capabilities to help make PyeongChang the host of the Winter Olympics."
The city, 180 kilometers east of Seoul in Gangwon Province, narrowly failed in its bids for the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics, losing by three votes to Vancouver, Canada for next year's games and by just four votes to Sochi, Russia for the 2014 event.
"By PyeongChang's two setbacks, we will strive to meet expectations from people for the Games," Kim said.
"As seen through the past two campaigns, PyeongChang is fully prepared to host a highest-level Olympics," said Prime Minister Han Seung-soo, who was the 2010 bid chairman.
"The government will give its full support to make it happen this time."
It is the first time that the Olympic bid committee will have two leaders. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kong Ro-myung led the first bid for the 2010 games and Han, a Gangwon Province native, served as a chairman for the 2014 bid.
It is rare that two leaders are chosen for a bid committee for an international sporting event in Korea; the only previous bid with two heads was the successful campaign for 2002 World Cup, led by Lee Yeon-taek, the then-president of the Korean Olympic Committee, and Chung.
Cho, 60, has led the Korea Table Tennis Association (KTTA) since July in 2008 and is proficient in English.
Kim, 62, served as the executive chairman in PyeongChang's two previous attempts and has been elected three times as the province's top administrator.
PyeongChang plans to submit a proposal to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) by October 15 and the IOC will narrow down the number of official candidates to three or four.
The host city will then be selected at an IOC general assembly slated for July 6, 2011 in Durban, South Africa after on-site inspections of the bidders between February and March.
Along with PyeongChang, Munich, Germany; Annecy, France; Sofia, Bulgaria; Harbin, China; Almaty, Kazakhstan; and Denver or Reno-Tahoe, the United States are expected to make bids for the Winter Olympic Games in 2018.