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PyeongChang Special Section #4

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New Olympic Horizons Open with Close of PyeongChang

The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games come to an end with the Closing Ceremony on Feb. 25, opening new horizons for the Winter Olympics. (Yonhap News)

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Moments of joy, tears at PyeongChang Games

Reuters praises Seoul’s diplomatic efforts for peace at 2018 Olympics

Tokyo 2020 Olympics learn from PyeongChang success

Seoul, Washington move forward together forever: President Moon 01

Nevin Galmarini of Switzerland expresses his joy, holding up his national flag, after he won the snowboard men’s parallel giant slalom final, at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games on Feb. 24. (Yonhap News)

Lyudmila Belyakova expresses her disappointment after a loss against Finland, 3-2, in the ice hockey women’s bronze medal game at the Gangneung Ice Hockey Centre on Feb. 21. (Yonhap News)

Moments of joy, tears at PyeongChang Games

Kaitlyn Lawes (left) and John Morris of Canada jump for joy as they become the gold medalists in the mixed doubles curling final against Switzerland, at the Gangneung Curling Centre in Gangneung on Feb. 13. The mixed doubles curling discipline was adopted as an official Olympic game for the first time in PyeongChang. (Yonhap News)

Lisa Buckwitz (left) and Mariama Jamanka of Germany scream for joy after they realize from the screen that they came in first in the bobsleigh women’s heat, at the Alpensia Sliding Centre in PyeongChang on Feb. 21. (Yonhap News)

Canada’s Sebastien Toutant rejoices after he finished in first place in the snowboard men’s big air final, an event officially designated as an official Olympic discipline at the PyeongChang Olympic Games, on Feb. 24.

(Yonhap News)

Latvia’s Diana Nikitina cries after her performance in the figure skating ladies’ single skating short program, at the Gangneung Ice Arena on Feb. 21. She finished in 26th place with a score of 51.12. (Yonhap News)

Germany’s Aljona Savchenko (left) and Bruno Massot cry for joy, lying on the ice, after they win the pair skating free skating final at the Gangneung Ice Arena on Feb. 15. For Savchenko, it was the firstever gold medal after she had competed at a total of five Olympic Games, starting with the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. (Yonhap News)

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The U.S.’s Jessica Diggins (bottom) and Kikkan Randall shout for joy as they face each other lying on the snow after they cross the finish line first in the cross-country skiing ladies’ team sprint free final, at the Alpensia CrossCountry Centre in PyeongChang on Feb. 20. (Yonhap News)

Marins Dukurs of Latvia, known as the ‘Legend of Skeleton,’ looks discouraged over his loss in the fourth heat of the men’s skeleton competition at the Alpensia Olympic Sliding Centre in PyeongChang, Gangwon-do Province, on Feb. 16.

He came in fifth place. (Yonhap News)

PyeongChang Special Section #4

A Moment of Olympic Spirit

Good bye, Queen of Skiing

Most Winter Olympic medals, ever

Korea’s Lee Sang-Hwa (left) and Nao Kodaira of Japan wave to the crowds after finishing the women’s 500m speed skating final at the Gangneung Speed Skating Centre on Feb. 18. The two embraced and comforted each other after the race, capturing media attention around the globe for showing true sportsmanship. (Yonhap News)

The “Queen of Skiing” Lindsey Vonn of the U.S. sprints down the slope during the women’s alpine skiing downhill final on Feb. 21 in Jeongseon. After winning a bronze in the event, she shed tears, saying that, “Of course, I’d have loved a gold medal, but, honestly, this is amazing and I’m so proud.” (Yonhap News)

Marit Bjorgen of Norway celebrates after winning the women’s 30 km mass start classic final on Feb. 25. Winning a total of five medals in PyeongChang alone, including two golds, Bjorgen has now broken the existing record for most medals formerly held by Ole Einar Bjorndalen, another biathlete from Norway, as she now has a total of 15 medals. (Yonhap News)

PyeongChang awards its stars A surprise gold Ester Ledecka of the Czech Republic (center) poses for a photo with her rivals after the women’s alpine skiing super G event in the Jeongseon Alpine Centre on Feb. 17. Being originally a snowboarder, Ledecka won a surprise gold in alpine skiing. She secured another gold in the women’s parallel giant slalom event on Feb. 24. (Yonhap News)

‘Yes, I’m back!’

‘Making history in African bobsleigh’

Snowboard prodigy

David Wise of the U.S. competes during then men’s ski halfpipe freestyle skiing final at the Phoenix Snow Park on Feb. 22. Wise was the gold medalist in Sochi, but he collapsed three times with a concussion. However, he did make a return by winning gold in the PyeongChang Games. (Yonhap News)

Seun Adigun (front) and Ngozi Onwumere of Nigeria start their race on Feb. 21 during the women’s bobsleigh heats at the Olympic Sliding Centre in PyeongChang. As the first-ever African bobsleigh team, they received a lot of media attention. (Yonhap News)

The 17-year-old Korean-American Chloe Kim showcases her winning performance during the women’s halfpipe finals at the Phoenix Snow Park on Feb. 13. Kim became the youngest gold medalist in the history of women’s half pipe. (Yonhap News)

First medal in 30 years

‘My entire life is the Olympics!’

Birth of a new skeleton champion

Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein celebrates after winning a bronze medal in the women’s super G race at the Jeongseon Alpine Centre on Feb. 17. It is the first medal for her country in 30 years, since Paul Frommelt won a bronze medal in Calgary in 1988. (Yonhap News)

Kim Hyunki of Korea flies high during the ski jump men’s team qualification events at the Alpensia Ski Jumping Centre on Feb. 16. The Korean team ranked at the bottom among the participating countries. However, Kim, a sixth time Olympian, and his teammates vowed to face their next Olympics challenge. (Yonhap News)

Korea’s ‘Iron Man,’ Yun Sungbin, starts his race in the men’s skeleton competition at the Alpensia Olympic Sliding Centre on Feb. 16. As the first Asian Olympic skeleton champion, Yun said that he will continue to work hard to perform well in the future. (Yonhap News)

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Foreign press praises PyeongChang Reuters praises Seoul’s diplomatic for tech, safety, peace efforts for peace at 2018 Olympics

Media praised the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games for their organization and for their message of peace at an international event. The photo above shows Jong Su Hyon of North Korea and Park Jongah of South Korea, members of the joint women’s ice hockey team, carrying the Olympic torch together. (Yonhap News)

by Kim Young Shin

Foreign media outlets are giving thumbs up to the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games as they slowly come to an end.

They are spotlighting the organization of the Games, such as the application of cutting-edge IT, the excellent quality of the venues, overall safety and volunteer activities, as well as the message of peace that can be found everywhere at the international sporting event.

On Feb. 15, CBS in the U.S. in an article titled “Winter Olympics in PyeongChang are the highesttech games yet,” talked about robots, autonomous vehicles, drones, virtual reality and the 5G networks being used in the host cities, and commented that these mark “the beginning of the exciting possibilities we anticipate for digital data and 5G applications in the future.”

The U.S. technology website CNN Tech had an article titled “5G is helping make PyeongChang the most high-tech Olympics ever” on Feb. 19. It said that, “Spectators at the PyeongChang Olympics aren’t just getting to watch the ultimate showdown in winter sports. They’re also witnessing the most hightech Olympic Games in history.”

Many news outlets have also praised the general operations of the Games.

A Reuters article titled “IOC gives PyeongChang Games thumbs-up at halfway mark” on Feb. 18 quoted Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi who said, “What is particularly

pleasing is the quality of the fields of play. This is the result of long and hard work.” In the article, he also said that, “We have really great competitions and performances, and also a very good job done by the volunteers and the athletes.”

USA Today concentrated on the safety of PyeongChang in its Feb. 19 article “Keeping Olympics safe: South Korean gun laws make a mass shooting nearly unfathomable.” It said, “The area is well-covered by video and other means of surveillance,” and added that, “Visitors said they feel safer without the heavy presence of security forces.”

Media outlets have also been impressed by the message of peace that the Olympics convey.

The New York Times pointed out that the South and North Korean athletes from the joint ice hockey team carrying the torch together was one of the most stirring moments of the Games. It said that, “Doing so in South Korea -- and in Gangwon Province, where North Korea is visible from the peaks of the ski slopes -- the symbolism this time was particularly striking,” in its article titled “Olympics Open With Koreas Marching Together, Offering Hope for Peace” on Feb. 9.

Philippine’s Manila Bulletin also published an editorial titled “PyeongChang may yet be the Peace Games” on Feb. 16. It said, “Peace in the region may still be a long way off, but great big steps have been taken in the Winter Olympics in South Korea, with the participation of the North’s athletes, the coming of Kim Jong Un’s sister to speak for her brother, and the North’s offer of a summit with South Korea.” ysk1111@korea.kr

Reuters praises the diplomatic outcomes Seoul achieved through the 2018 Winter Olympics in an article on Feb. 22. The above photo shows President Moon Jae-in (front, left), first lady Kim Jung-sook (second from left), along with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (fourth from left) and his spouse during the Opening Ceremony of the Games on Feb. 9, where the North Korean high-level delegation attended. (Cheong Wa Dae)

by Yoon Sojung

Peter Apps, a global affairs columnist for Reuters, said that, “The real strategic winner is the South Korean government, which has shrewdly used the games to reshape the diplomatic landscape,” in an article titled “Commentary: South Korea’s Olympic gambit traps both Kim and Trump” published on Feb. 22.

Regarding the tension between Pyongyang and Washington and the SeoulPyongyang relations, the author said, “This year, President Donald Trump’s administration had intended to ramp up military pressure on Pyongyang, reinforcing the Kim regime’s fears that further nuclear progress might lead to U.S. action.” However, he urged that, “The Olympic rapprochement with the South has compelled Washington to abort some of its plans, at Seoul’s request.”

Apps said that, “It would be a mistake to view the Olympic rapprochement as a true game changer on the peninsula; the fundamental drivers of the conflict have not gone away.”

The author said, “What the PyeongChang Games have offered, however, is a break from the cycle of ever-rising escalation.”

He pointed out that, “If the U.S. was to strike now, while communication between North and South is improving, it might look like an unjustified aggressor, risking regional disaster just as peace seemed possible.”

The author said that Pyongyang’s further provocations “would likely torpedo the regional dialogue, and could even be viewed as justification for a limited U.S. strike.”

He added that, “Any resumption of the North Korean test program while talks are ongoing would likely result in much tougher international sanctions, particularly from China.” Apps wrote that their previous provocations have already had “a considerable impact on the North Korean economy, and any further reduction of Beijing’s support might genuinely imperil Kim’s rule.”

Despite the possibilities in the North’s future nuclear tests and rising tensions between Pyongyang and Washington, the author said, “The temporary détente will still be seen as a success [for President Moon Jae-in].”

A p p s c o n c l u d e d t h a t , “ T h e Wi n t e r Olympics have opened a ‘slim but real chance’ that further North Korean tests and the continued rise in tensions can be averted – or at the very least, slowed.” arete@korea.kr

Foreign media dub PyeongChang Olympics as ‘most high-tech Olympics ever’

by Jung Joo-ri and Yoon Sojung

Media outlets are praising the state-of-the-art tech that was showcased at the 2018 Winter Olympics. The above photo shows a drone delivering the Olympic torch using some of Korea’s newest 5G technology connection speeds in Seoul on Jan. 13. (Jeon Han/Korea.net)

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Foreign media outlets continue to speak highly of the information and communication technology (ICT) showcased in the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Foreign media in particular praised the latest technology featured in the 2018 Winter Olympics such as 5G, robotics and virtual reality.

CNN of the U.S. said in its article titled “5G is helping make PyeongChang the most high-tech Olympics ever” on Feb. 19 that “At the helm of it all is 5G, the wireless network technology that mobile carriers around the world have been racing to adopt.” The CNN article said that PyeongChang “has emerged as a vital testing ground.”

Another U.S. TV network, CBS, also said on Feb,. 15 in its article “Winter Olympics in PyeongChang are the highest-tech games yet” that, “While the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang are likely to be remembered for

the diplomatic overtures between North and South Korea, the games should also go down as the most technologically advanced yet.”

The Le Figaro of France took a closer eye on robotics. In the article titled “2018 Olympic Games, technological showcase for South Korea” dated on Feb 12, the Le Figaro said, “The Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang is a golden opportunity for South Korea to strengthen the image of the country as a leader in innovation with the rest of the world.”

The article also said that “During the Games, robots are ubiquitous. They welcome, guide and inform visitors, clean, make deliveries and serve at the table.”

Many other media outlets also continue to report the state-of-the-art technology of the 2018 Winter Olympics. One of such is the Radio France Internationale which focused on the 5G technology used to identify and fight against wild boars. The Clarin, an Argentinean daily, also dubbed the PyeongChang Olympics as “the most technological Games in history.” etoilejr@korea.kr

PyeongChang Special Section #4

Olympic passion opens new horizons

by Kim Tae-hoon, director of the Korean Culture and Information Service

The Olympic flag that waved in the clear wind blowing down from the mountainous Daegwallyeong region of Gangwon-do Province has now been lowered. The Olympic flame that lit the world from atop a moon-shaped platform that reminded you of a Joseon-era white porcelain vase has now been extinguished. The 17-day PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games have now come to an end.

The joint parade of South and North Korean athletes in the Opening Ceremony deeply moved the world. Athletes tried to have the tip of their skate blade cross the finish line 0.001 seconds ahead of their competitors. They soared from the ski jump platform as far and as high as possible. All their sweat and tears have now gone down in history.

Such historic scenes that unfolded for 17 days have now been enshrined deep in the hearts of people all around the world.

The PyeongChang Olympic Games took place in one of the smallest cities ever to host the Winter Olympics, but will be remembered as Games that have marked bigger and brighter

milestones than ever before.

One of the milestones was the realization of the Olympics of Peace.

The joint parade of the inter-Korean athletes and the establishment of the first-ever inter-Korean women’s ice hockey team in PyeongChang have demonstrated to the world the true Olympic spirit.

Sports can overcome all political differences and unite people from around the world.

It’s safe to say that North Korea’s participation in the Olympic Games has been a milestone that shows the world’s strong desire for peace, as well as that of the two Koreas and of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

In retrospect, the ancient Olympic Games were all peaceful Games. In Olympia, Greece, known for having been the site of Olympic Games in classical times, during the Games there were declarations that banned any hostile act and that stopped any execution. Instead, they granted pardons.

In modern times, however, the Olympic Games have stopped three times, during the First and Second World Wars. They have also sadly been beset by terrorist attacks and by Olympic boycotts, too.

At the Moscow 1980 Olympic Summer Games, more than 60 countries boycotted the Olympics, condemning the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. At the following Games in Los Angeles in 1984, the Soviet Union and some East European countries refused to participate.

However, the Summer Olympic Games took place again in 1988, this time in Seoul, and they were credited for reviving the true Olympic spirit of being peaceful, as they contributed to helping end the Cold War and the confrontation between the East and the West.

Three decades later, in 2018 Korea has now revived the Olympic spirit once again by bringing

about the U.N.’s adoption of an Olympic Truce to build a peaceful and better world through sport, by supporting the Olympic ideal, and by making it possible for North Korea to participate in these Winter Games. That’s a true achievement that’s worth being highly appreciated.

The second milestone was that the PyeongChang Games have served as a Tech Olympics.

In general, Olympic host countries take advantage of the international sporting festival to show off their high-tech and to offer a glimpse into the future of humanity. Korea, too, has made the best of these Olympic Games to show the world its cutting-edge IT, like drones at the Opening Ceremony, robots at the airport, ultra high definition broadcasts (UHD) and fifth generation mobile networks (5G).

A lot of non-Korean press has focused on the IT on display in PyeongChang and has forecast a future that would come to the fore of our global society. The French daily Le Figaro wrote that, “The PyeongChang Olympic Games were a golden opportunity to give a strong impression to the world that Korea is a world leader in terms of technical innovations.”

Lastly, the PyeongChang Games were Safe Olympics.

Safety is the key to success for international events like the Olympic Games, which bring together people from around the world. It’s more crucial than ever, as we are now living in a world where terrorists and conflicts prevail.

Safety concerns were a major setback early on for the PyeongChang Olympic Games, especially because some countries were reluctant to participate out of worries about tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

However, Korea cleared away any such concerns by having North Korean athletes in the competition

and then ramped up public security at home, almost perfectly. Not a single crime against a non-Korean tourist or an Olympic fan was reported during the Games. The police quickly responded to a total of 17 acts committed by non-Korean visitors, and the tourist police unit was on patrol across the host cities, handling more than 100 trivial cases reported by non-Korean visitors, like lost property.

Due to all these achievements, with peace, IT and security, the PyeongChang Games came to an end as some of the most successful Olympic Games ever. However, that’s not enough.

IOC President Thomas Bach said in a press conference prior to the Closing Ceremony on Feb. 25 that, “The joint march of the two Koreas and the unified women’s ice hockey team sent a powerful message of peace, which transcends sport, to the entire world,” and he hoped that the political world would use this momentum created during the PyeongChang Games for dialogue.

Yes, we should continue to make efforts so that the seeds of peace on the Korean Peninsula that has sprouted at the Olympic Games can blossom into world peace. We also should never stop sharing with the world our achievements and technologies and, also, how Korea can go through all of its ordeals and struggles that it faces and come out on top.

“The Olympic Games are something that implants an ideal in peoples’ minds, and the ideal becomes something that’s part of peoples’ lives,” said Pierre de Coubertin, often called the father of the modern Olympic Games.

Just as he said, I hope that our efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and exchange our heritage and traditions with other countries around the world, as we did in PyeongChang, will implant an ideal among them, one that calls out for an improved humanity through world peace, sports and cultural heritage.

PyeongChang ends on high note

The Closing Ceremony for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games is held at the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 25. Pictured is the LED pagoda that lit up the Closing Ceremony in celebration of hope and harmony. (Hyoja-dong Studio)

by Lee Hana

The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games have come to a close after 17 days of heated competition on the ice and snow.

The global athletic festival drew its final curtain with the Closing Ceremony held at the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 25.

The Closing Ceremony put on a spectacular show titled “The Next Wave” that married tradition with cutting edge technology. As the acts unfolded, the stadium overflowed with a cacophony of music, dance, colors and artwork inspired by the East and the West.

Energetic performances by K-pop boy band Exo and singer CL followed. Then came “Eight Minutes of Beijing,” a dazzling show prepared by Beijing, the host of the next Winter Olympic Games in 2022.

After a pair of illuminated giant pandas roller-skated across the stage with a lineup of other dancers in a roller-disco display of lights, Xi Jinping invited the world to Beijing through a video.

As the Olympic torch that lit up this year’s Winter Games dimmed, PyeongChang Organizing Committee (POCOG) President Lee Hee-beom said, “The world came together as one in PyeongChang.

Everyone here gained friendships through laughter and tears, regardless of nationality, race, religion or gender.”

“Moreover, the friendship shared between the North and South Korean athletes showed us the possibility of a brighter future. The seeds of peace we have sown in PyeongChang will grow into a sturdy, tall tree and serve as the foundation for reunification of the Korean Peninsula,” he said.

The closing ceremony was attended by the Olympic athletes, over 30,000 audience members, as well as President Moon Jae-in, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, Ivanka Trump, daughter to the U.S. president, North Korean General Kim Yong Chol and Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong.

PyeongChang began its Olympic journey on Feb. 9 with an Opening Ceremony filled with hopes for peace.

In the days that followed, some 2,920 athletes

President Moon Jae-in claps during the Closing Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, at the PyeongChang Olympic stadium on Feb. 25. High ranking officials from the U.S., North Korea and China were also present alongside President Moon. (Hyoja-dong Studio)

from 92 countries -- a record number in the history of the Winter Games -- competed for 102 gold medals, giving it their all under the spotlight.

In the end, Norway topped the PyeongChang medal standings with 14 gold, 14 silver and 11 bronze medals, for a total of 39 medals. Germany came second with 14 gold, 10 silver and seven bronze, and Canada came third with 11 gold, eight silver and 10 bronze medals.

Team Korea, competing on home ground for the first time in 30 years since the Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics, finished in seventh place with five gold, eight silver, and four bronze medals.

Korea’s 17 medals were won across six different events, a record for the country. Korea broadened its scope this year, claiming medals not only in short track speed skating and regular speed skating, but also in skeleton, snowboarding, curling and bobsleigh.

The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games, held in the three host cities of PyeongChang, Gangneung and Jeongseon, were highly praised for their management, performances, and Olympic records.

The associated Cultural Olympiad, showcasing a

plentiful program of cultural events, was received quite favorably by the public. It was also dubbed as the “Smart Olympics” thanks to high-tech innovations such as 5G wireless networks, robots, AI and drones.

Furthermore, with North Korea’s participation in the Games, PyeongChang was able to realize an “Olympics of Peace.” Athletes from North and South Korea marched together under one flag at the Opening Ceremony for the first time in 11 years. The two Koreas fielded a joint women’s ice hockey team.

IOC President Bach pointed to North Korea’s participation as the highlight of the PyeongChang Winter Games during an IOC press conference held just a few hours before the Closing Ceremony.

“The joint march of the two Koreas and the unified ice hockey team sent an powerful message of peace, which transcends sport, to the entire world. Having this happen on the Korean Peninsula amid all this tension made it all the more important,” said Bach.

“Now, the hope is that the political world will use this momentum to engage in peaceful dialogue on their level, beyond sport and the IOC,” he said. hlee10@korea.kr

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Olympic message from Ambassador of the EU to Korea Michael Reiterer

by Michael Reiterer, Ambassador of the EU to Korea

Make sport, not war Sports and peace have much in common: the need for permanent training to maintain performance levels, and a healthy life-style in a calm and sound environment.

However, neither fitness nor peace can be taken for granted. The absence of either is felt quickly.

Peace enables sport and, in turn, sport can enable peace. Peace is more than the absence of war and sport is more than just physical exercise. Can sport really make peace? Is, “Make sport not war,” a permissible adaptation of the old hippy slogan, “Make love not war”?

Sport is part of soft power and its potency to bring political results has been seen throughout history. The Olympics might take us back to the ancient Greeks, but sport diplomacy has also been a feature of the modern world, for example with the table tennis diplomacy that was a prelude to U.S.-China reconciliation. The United Nations has long recognised the value of sport and has since 1993 called for an Olympic Truce to surround each holding of the Games. However, one should not lose perspective. While the PyeongChang Games have

been dubbed the Peace Games on the Korean Peninsula, tension, bloodshed and wars persist in Syria, Congo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen and Sudan, to just name a few.

Can sport really be a tool for peace-building? Can it promote societal transformation in a conflict or postconflict situation/ If so, under what circumstances, and what are the chances of success?

Sport is a useful and often unique tool. Its advantage lies in its universality. It has a global reach and is understood and appreciated world-wide. As an international language with a strong element of non-verbal communication, sport fosters common understanding. As a common or smallest common denominator among groups, it invites interaction and contact. It may succeed in opening formerly closed communication lines, facilitating networking and interchanges, and connect or re-connect peoples, thereby reducing tensions. Many of these features apply to the PyeongChang Games.

In a post-war or post-trauma situation, sport may not only help heal physical wounds, but also psychological wounds. As a vehicle for learning, it conveys values, such as respect for rules, fairness, tolerance and team spirit. Sport is about participation and inclusion, highlighting commonalities, and bridging differences across societies, language and age. These are values that lie at the heart of how our societies are ordered: peaceful cohabitation, the reduction of tension and the promotion of integration and social rehabilitation.

Sport is often a bottom-up process in which communities and individuals interact. Top-down approaches bear the risk of not being sustainable, as the Sarajevo 1984 Winter Games demonstrated. The Communist Yugoslavian government was determined to show its best face in welcoming the world to the beauty of Sarajevo. A decade later, the city was put under siege in a bloody civil war, causing the death of about 14,000 people. Today, the venues lie in decay, a

Olympic message from German Ambassador to Korea Stephan Auer

by Stephan Auer, German Ambassador to Korea

PyeongChang sends message of hope As you’re reading these lines, the 23rd Winter Olympics in PyeongChang have just come to an end. From their start in ancient Greece, an important element of the Olympic Games has always been the Olympic Truce. In today’s challenging times, this link between Olympic Games and peace has not lost any of its appeal.

This holds particularly true for the Korean Peninsula, which over the past year faced rising tensions and worrying threats. While it remains to be seen whether the Olympic Truce will have any lasting impact on the stability of the region, one cannot deny that at least for a certain period of time the Olympics have shifted the focus from conflict and antagonism to interaction, joint efforts and toward the quest for success in an open and fair competition. The Olympics allowed us to see things from a different angle, from the perspective of hope.

Korea is not new to hosting Olympic Games in challenging times. In 1988, on the occasion of the Olympic Summer Games in Seoul, Korea had already welcomed the world and excelled in warm hospitality. The Seoul Olympics took place at a time when my country, Germany, was still divided. Back then in West Germany, 06

hardly anyone thought that the division of our nation would soon come to an end. In Korea, the Olympics marked the transition toward a democratic and prosperous society, which the Korean people have been pursuing ever since the end of the devastating Korean War (1950-1953).

People overcame economic hardship, transformed Korea into a dynamic, highly industrialized country, and turned an authoritarian form of government into a thriving democracy.

My country, too, experienced a historic transformation that may have seemed even unlikelier, the unification of East and West Germany. Like South Koreans, East Germans showed courage and persistence in taking to the streets demanding their inalienable human rights, freedom, peace and democracy. They achieved something both historic and historical, peacefully and without bloodshed. The culmination of this development was the fall of the Berlin Wall, the symbol of a divided Europe for over 28 years, which resulted in Germany’s reunification only one year later.

It was against this background that the current German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, on the occasion of his recent visit to Korea and to the Winter Olympics, underlined that it’s worth remaining hopeful, as nothing is set in stone. It is not naïve or unrealistic to feel hope. On the contrary, hope is where one finds the will to change reality, he said.

There are, of course, numerous differences in the division of Korea and the division of Germany.

However, what we can learn from history is that dialogue, while keeping up political pressure, is the only way to achieve rapprochement, and -ultimately -- peace and unity. I sincerely hope that the spirit of dialogue and exchange will outlast the PyeongChang Olympic Games and will lead to a sustainable détente on the Korean Peninsula.

Wouldn’t it be nice to see Korean athletes compete at future Olympics peacefully side by side as one united team?

reminder of how temporary the achievements of an Olympic Games can be if they lack sustainability.

If sport and peace are not permanently trained, practiced and reconfirmed, there is no automatic guarantee that their achievements will be preserved.

Sport has strong convening power. It brings together athletes who share the experience of having spent years of hard preparation and training, but at the same time brings countries together. Nations seek to excel through their athletes’ performances. The host country vies to show its expertise in organization.

This often provides convenient cover for political and diplomatic initiatives. The Seoul 1988 Olympics provided a context for domestic and international pressure to push the transition toward democracy in Korea. This year, the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics have provided a convenient space for inter-Korean dialogue, notably the visit of the high-level delegation from North Korea. This was a sudden development that would have been more difficult without the pretext of a common commitment to sport.

The challenge is how to ensure such small first steps become sustainable and that the positive energy that emerges from them is directed to finding solutions to the primary problems, which unfortunately have not changed: human rights violations, missiles tests and nuclear arms. In sport, pressure may free energy and enhance performances, another parallel to politics.

While sport itself does not solve the underlying problems, it can improve the atmosphere to address them peacefully and provide tools to do so.

As in sportive interaction, communication, engagement and sincerity are necessary to achieve this goal. Just like in joint sport training programs, diplomatic talks increase intellectual fitness, allowing the parties to learn to respect the rules in a transparent manner, helped by “coaches and fitness trainers” in the form of arbitrators. The Olympics,

Paralympics and Asian Games provide a framework to facilitate sporting exchanges, just as global and regional forums provide the setting for diplomatic interaction.

The European Union can rightly term itself as the “Premier League” in facilitating both sporting prowess and peace. So far in PyeongChang, athletes from EU member states have won a total of 29 gold medals, 20 silver and 28 bronze, as of the time of writing. In 2012, the award of the Nobel Peace Prize went to the European Union, demonstrating how the EU holds the gold medal in guaranteeing peace around the world. We stand ready to act, if requested to do so, as “coaches” by using our experience of facilitating the contact and interaction needed to develop a sustainable peace.

The Winter Games are national events, organised by National Olympic Committees, under the guidance of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Even so, flags and national anthems, national medal counts and big business, might sometimes stand in the way of achieving the Olympic ideals of friendship, respect, excellence & determination, inspiration, courage and equality.

Nonetheless, as the Korean athletes marching under the unified flag showed, when these ideals are implemented, they can become a motor for change. The path might be windy and steep. A lot of training, perseverance, resilience and guidance will be needed to stay on course and to reach the top of the steps, to light the torch of unification.

This would be unification of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula where human rights bloom and shared prosperity allows all Koreans to strive for the aforementioned common ideals and values.

Sport can indeed strengthen the ability to excel in politics. The light of the Olympic Games underlines the duty of politicians to build a healthy and sustainable environment to promote peace.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics learn from PyeongChang success

The executive director of communications and engagement for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Maki Kobayashi-Terada, talks about the PyeongChang Olympics at the Tokyo 2020 Japan House at the Gangneung Olympic Park, Gangwon-do Province, on Feb. 22. (Kim Young Deok) (Left) / Tokyo 2020 Japan House, located in the Gangneung Olympic Park, promotes the coming Tokyo 2020 Olympics to sports fans visiting Gangwon-do Province for the Winter Games. (Kim Young Deok) (Right)

by Korea.net PyeongChang Olympics Team

“The success of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, inside and out, is a great reference for us.”

So said Maki Kobayashi-Terada, the executive director of communications and engagement for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. She was speaking at the Tokyo 2020 Japan House, located inside the Gangneung Olympic Park on Feb. 22.

Regarding PyeongChang 2018, Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022, the next three Olympic and Paralympic Games, all of which will be held in three neighboring Northeast Asian countries, she said, “Korea, China and Japan are sharing their experiences and knowledge to help bring all the Games to fruition.”

Korea.net sat down with the director on Feb. 22, two days before the Closing Ceremony of the Games, to hear her thoughts on the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

The PyeongChang Winter Games are coming to an end. In terms of organization, what were PyeongChang’s advantages and what would you like to apply to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics?

The PyeongChang Winter Games were generally well organized and managed. Its security checks went rapidly, accommodations were excellent, and accreditation (AD) cards were given out smoothly.

Public transportation, such as the KTX high-speed train, was also very convenient.

It was most impressive to see the organizers

welcoming international guests warmly and kindly.

Information and communications technology, such as drones, 5G data networks and virtual reality, were applied to the PyeongChang Olympics. What state-of-the-art technology will we be able to see in Tokyo?

Japan is also trying to host some of the most cutting-edge Olympics.

Because the PyeongChang Winter Games did such a terrific job, it has added to the pressure for us.

Thankfully, science advances every day, so we’re planning to adopt the newest technology in 2020.

What short-comings have you seen in PyeongChang?

I didn’t see any. Many foreign media have praised PyeongChang for its excellent organization.

Any last words for the PyeongChang Olympics?

I think that the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games were superb. Athletes from around the world are beating their personal bests here.

I believe that the Closing Ceremony will be just as brilliant as the Opening Ceremony, which demonstrated Korean heritage and traditions, as well as its innovative technology.

I hope for more wonderful experiences at the upcoming PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. km137426@korea.kr

PyeongChang Special Section #4

Seoul, Washington move forward together forever: President Moon

Pyongyang willing to hold talks with US

Ivanka Trump (left), assistant to U.S. President Donald Trump, poses for a photo with President Moon Jae-in at the entrance to the Sangchunjae Hall at Cheong Wa Dae on Feb. 23. (Cheong Wa Dae) (Left) / Ivanka Trump (left), assistant to U.S. President Donald Trump, and President Moon Jae-in attend a dinner at the Sangchunjae Hall at Cheong Wa Dae on Feb. 23. (Cheong Wa Dae) (Right)

by Xu Aiying and Yoon Sojung

President Moon Jae-in and White House advisor Ivanka Trump met on Feb. 23 at Cheong Wa Dae to discuss measures to boost the Seoul-Washington relationship and to boost cooperation on the successful finish of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

The White House advisor was visiting Korea with a U.S. delegation to attend the Closing Ceremony of the Winter Olympics.

President Moon said that interest from and cooperation with the U.S. played a crucial part in helping Korea to successfully host the PyeongChang Olympics, while mentioning the participation of Vice President Mike Pence and the delegation at the Opening Ceremony, and the participation of Ivanka Trump and the rest of the U.S. delegation at the Closing Ceremony.

President Moon told the White House advisor that, “Looking at these Winter Olympics, I realized once again just how close Seoul and Washington are to each other.” He then mentioned the Korean-American snowboarder who won the gold in the women’s snowboard half pipe event, and another KoreanAmerican athlete who played for the unified Korean women’s hockey team.

The president said that, “Both countries will always go together forever, like the motto of ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command, ‘We go together.’”

President Moon said, “Thanks to North Korea’s Olympic participation, which brings active dialogue between the two, tensions have eased on the Korean Peninsula and inter-Korean relations have improved.”

“The process of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and that of inter-Korean dialogue must have improvements together, and toward this aim, close cooperation between Seoul and Washington is essential,” said the president.

White House advisor Ivanka Trump expressed a congratulatory message from U.S. President Donald Trump to all Korean citizens and to the government for successfully hosting the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. She said, “Thank you for hosting us all here tonight as we reaffirm our bonds of friendship, of cooperation, of partnership and as we reaffirm our commitment to our ‘maximum pressure’ campaign to ensure that the Korean Peninsula is denuclearized.

She also said that, “I thank you for hosting us all here tonight as we reaffirm our joint values and strategic cooperation as partners and allies.”

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by Xu Aiying and Yoon Jihye

A delegation from North Korea, led by Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of North Korea’s Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, and Ri Son-gwon, chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, has expressed its willingness to hold talks with the U.S. to improve the relationship between the South and the North and to discuss the state of affairs on the Korean Peninsula. It was speaking to President

‘Great success’ says Team Korea

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Sarah Murray, coach of the unified women’s ice hockey team, and the team itself that embodied the ‘Peace Olympics’ has a chat with big smiles on their faces during the Olympic Team Night for the Korean national athletes at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, held at Team Korea House at the Gangneung Olympic Park, Gangwon-do, on Feb. 24. (Jeon Han)

by Korea.net PyeongChang Olympics Team

Athletes at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games will compete in 80 events across a total of six disciplines. (POCOG)

by Sohn JiAe

The moments of joy and tears that the world shared at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games will continue in the upcoming Paralympic Games.

The PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, a sports festival for para athletes and sport fans alike, will kick off on March 9 and run until March 18, sharing with the world once again touching moments as athletes challenge the limitations of human ability.

As in the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games will be held in PyeongChang, Gangneung and Jeongseon across Gangwon-do Province, under the same slogan of “Passion. Connected.”

Around 1,700 people will take part in this year’s Paralympics, consisting of 570 athletes from 49 countries. They’ll be competing for medals in a total of 80 events across six disciplines: alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, ice sled hockey, snowboarding and wheelchair curling. North Korea,

xuaiy@korea.kr

xuaiy@korea.kr

Time for PyeongChang Paralympics 9 Fri

President Moon Jae-in (third from left) shakes hands with Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the North Korean Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, at the Closing Ceremony of the PyeongChang Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium in PyeongChang, Gangwon-do Province, on Feb. 25. (Cheong Wa Dae)

Moon Jae-in in Seoul on Feb. 25.

Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said in a written briefing that the Northern delegation that was visiting South Korea to attend the Closing Ceremony of the Winter Games talked about potential bilateral talks with the U.S. during its meeting with President Moon.

President Moon highly praised the North for sending a delegation to both the Opening and Closing ceremonies, helping to achieve “Olympics of Peace.” He mentioned the joint women’s ice hockey team and the joint marching of the North and South Korean athletes, and said, “Such endeavors by the two Koreas made the PyeongChang Games truly ‘Olympics of Peace.’”

President Moon stressed that, “North-South dialogue should be expanded and developed extensively. Talks between the U.S. and North Korea should be held as soon as possible as a way to improve the relationship between the two Koreas and to fundamentally settle issues on the Korean Peninsula.”

Spokesperson Kim said that the Northern delegation relayed Kim Jong-un’s willingness, and said that, “The delegation expressed enough willingness to have talks with the U.S. and has agreed to the idea that the relationship between the North and the South and between the U.S and the North could advance together.”

too, will send a team, a first in Paralympic history.

The biathlon and cross-country skiing events will take place at the Alpensia Biathlon Centre in PyeongChang, while the ice sled hockey and wheelchair curling will be held at the Gangneung Hockey Centre and Curling Centre, both in Gangneung. The Jeongseon Alpine Centre in Jeongseon will host the alpine skiing and snowboarding.

Team Korea, with 36 para athletes, will compete in all six disciplines with the goal of winning one gold, one silver and two bronze medals. The host country hopes to finish in the top-10 in the final medal standings.

“Now is the time for the Paralympic Games,” wrote President Moon Jae-in on his official Facebook profile on Feb. 25. “The Olympic flame that has let everyone shine will continue to shine for the challenges to be faced by the Paralympians with the same amount of brightness and warmth.” jiae5853@korea.kr

“ Still one team.”

It’s a point that coach Sarah Murray, who led the unified women’s ice hockey team at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, wants to really emphasize.

Coach Murray met with Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Do Jongwhan and they talked about the experiences she had while preparing for the Olympics and while playing the matches with her joint team. They were speaking during the Olympic Team Night that took place at Team Korea House at the Gangneung Olympic Park, Gangwondo, on Feb. 24.

“All the people in South Korea respect the leadership that Coach Murray showed in the matches,” said Minister Do. “It’s an honor for me,” replied Murray.

“I already talked to the players about the Beijing Winter Olympics,” she answered with a big smile in response to his request to continue as the national coach. She asked him to help form a base to cultivate young players for the women’s ice hockey team in the future.

“I wanted to achieve the best results possible in a short amount of time, but I felt sorry for the results,” she said. “I really felt the unity of South and North Korea during the games, in person,” said athlete Jo Su-sie who played with her North Korean counterparts.

The athletes who met at Team Korea House expressed their relieved feelings and a sense of frustration, regardless of the events.

Korean figure skater Cha Jun-hwan said, “It was meaningful as I was the youngest participant in the

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Do Jongwhan (left) and Sarah Murray, coach of the unified women’s ice hockey team, talk with smiles during the Olympic Team Night at Team Korea House on Feb. 24. (Jeon Han)

men’s figure skating at these Winter Games and it was meaningful as it was the Olympics held in Korea, as well. The feelings I can feel from these Winter Games end here, but I will grow more for the Beijing Winter Olympics,” expressing his aspirations for 2022.

Lim Hyo-jun, the men’s 1,500m short track champion, said, “I got off to a good start, but I was disappointed that I couldn’t get the medal I expected from the men’s 5,000m relay. However, all the encouragement and support we received from the people was really comforting. I’ll be sure to fill the gap at the Beijing Winter Olympics in both the individual and the relay.”

Short track coach Byun Woo-ok said, “Women’s short track athletes had good scores, but there was a gap in the final. We’ll prepare even harder for the world championships, to be held in Montreal on March 16, and we’ll get even better scores at the Beijing Winter Olympics.”

German-born Korean luger Aileen Frish said, “I was happy that I was cheered on by a passionate fan base, compared to the test event a year ago. I haven’t set a specific goal yet, but I plan to concentrate on studying my Korean first.” kyd1991@korea.kr

Short track speed skater Choi Min-jeong (from left), Team Korea House Manager Park Jong Kil and skeleton athlete Yun Sungbin pose for a commemorative photo during the Olympic Team Night for the Korean national team at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games on Feb. 24. (Jeon Han)

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PyeongChang Special Section #4

Winter Olympic Medal Standings Rank

NOC

Gold Medal

Silver Medal

Bronze Medal

Total

1

Norway

14

14

11

39

2

Germany

14

10

7

31

3

Canada

11

8

10

29

4

United States

9

8

6

23

5

Netherlands

8

6

6

20

6

Sweden

7

6

1

14

7

Republic of Korea

5

8

4

17

8

Switzerland

5

6

4

15

9

France

5

4

6

15

10

Austria

5

3

6

14

11

Japan

4

5

4

13

12

Italy

3

2

5

10

13

OAR

2

6

9

17

14

Czech Republic

2

2

3

7

15

Belarus

2

1

0

3

16

China

1

6

2

9

17

Slovakia

1

2

0

3

18

Finland

1

1

4

6

19

Great Britain

1

0

4

5

20

Poland

1

0

1

2

21

Hungary

1

0

0

1

21

Ukraine

1

0

0

1

23

Australia

0

2

1

3

24

Slovenia

0

1

1

2

25

Belgium

0

1

0

1

26

Spain

0

0

2

2

26

New Zealand

0

0

2

2

28

Kazakhstan

0

0

1

1

28

Latvia

0

0

1

1

28

Liechtenstein

0

0

1

1

PyeongChang 2018 Olympic QR-code Service

English

08

Chinese

Arabic

French

Japanese

Russian

German

Vietnamese

Spanish