Published : Dec. 27, 2016 - 15:54
The central government and local governments closely coordinate. Private and public sectors pool their talent and resources. Donations and contributions pile up. National enthusiasm mounts. Children countdown to the opening ceremony. Small and large festivities are held nationwide.
These are what can be expected at this point with regards to the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province. Unfortunately, the reality has not yet met expectations.
With the opening ceremony set to take place on Feb. 9, 2018, the Winter Olympics is just 408 days away. This winter is the last winter before the games. All test runs and dry runs are supposed to be completed before this winter is over.
Despite the efforts of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, national momentum for the winter games preparation has been elusive. Unexpected political and economic developments have pushed the winter games out of the national radar for some time now. It seems as if the nation has forgotten that it is holding the Olympic Games in about a year.
Few people know the mascot of the winter games -- Soohorang, the white tiger. Even fewer have heard of the slogan of the games, which is “Passion. Connected.”
Korea has been relatively silent and subdued for a country preparing for the Olympic Games, compared to the lead-up to the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. There are many differences between then and now, and the country appears to be currently way behind schedule.
Worse still, those implicated in the ongoing national scandal have left their fingerprints on some of the preparation projects for the games, further distancing the event from ordinary people.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the agency in charge of the games, has been hit hardest by the recent political situation.
The scandal came at a most inopportune time. People in PyeongChang County had put in much effort in the three consecutive bids to hold the games.
It is time to face the reality that there is no time to be wasted. Recent political developments should not taint the effort of the organizing committee and the 9,000 volunteers registered for the upcoming event. Nor should political consideration pull down the efforts and plans of the committee.
Global attention has shifted from the Rio Olympic Games in summer to the upcoming winter games in Korea. If the nation fails to deliver in February 2018, its image will be seriously tarnished -- perhaps more seriously than the damage caused by the recent political fiasco -- possibly even irrevocably.
Coincidentally, Korea, Japan and China will host the next three consecutive Olympic Winter and Summer Games in 2018, 2020, and 2022, respectively. Whatever comes out of PyeongChang will be compared with Korea’s neighbors.
It is always wise to turn a challenge into a blessing. The 2018 event may be a good chance to organize our thoughts, reinvigorate our spirit and bring the country back in order. Successfully hosting the games at the most challenging of times will help restore the country’s reputation.
The bobsleigh, skeleton and luge events are the winter sports games where Asian athletes have not entered their names yet.
Athletes and sports associations have made tremendous efforts for the past decade, in anticipation of the PyeongChang games. Korean players have made leaps and bounds in recent competitions, and are aiming for medals even in these fields.
Players of other winter sports games are also looking forward to making significant strides forward.
Despite the current political landscape in Korea, the nation can overcome the difficulties and pool together its national resources as it did for the 1988 games.
In retrospect, 1987 was one of the most politically turbulent years for modern Korea, but the Seoul Olympics the next year were completed successfully. The event turned out to be a catalyst for Korea’s political and economic development afterwards. Why not the 2018 Winter Olympic Games?
By Lee Jae-min
Lee Jae-min is a professor of law at Seoul National University. He can be reached at jaemin@snu.ac.kr. -- Ed.