Sports chief vows to support Pyeongchang's Winter Olympics bid

SEOUL, March 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's newly elected sports chief said Thursday
that he will strongly support Pyeongchang, a mountain resort east of Seoul, as
the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Pyeongchang, a mountainous region about 180 kilometers east of the capital, lost
twice to Vancouver, Canada, and Sochi, Russia, in its campaign to host the world
sporting events in 2010 and 2014. It has restarted a bid to host the Winter
Olympics in 2018 and is planning to deliver its intention to the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) by April.
"Pyeongchang is well prepared to host the Olympics. I will back Pyeongchang, if
it is officially confirmed as South Korea's candidate," Korea Sports Council
Chairman Park Yong-sung said at a press conference. He was elected to the post
last month.
The former IOC member said, "The process to decide the host city of 2018 Winter
Olympics has not yet started and the decision is due in July 2011. I will do my
best until the day my term ends in January 2013."
He also dismissed concerns that Pyeongchang's bid may fail if Tokyo is picked as
the host of the 2016 Summer Olympics.
"There is no rule that the Olympics must be hosted by different continent members
in rotation. Even if Japan gets the right to host the summer games, it will not
affect Pyeongchang's campaign."
Park, 69, suggested that South Korean IOC members make a concentrated effort to
win the bid, referring to Moon Dae-sung, a Taekwondo gold medalist in Athens who
was elected to the athlete's commission of the committee. Moon has the same right
to vote as non-athlete members.
Park also said that he will step up efforts to upgrade South Korea's
competitiveness in winter sports besides short track speed skating which accounts
for the country's most medals in every sporting tournament.
The host city for the 2018 Winter Olympics will be decided at an IOC general
conference slated for July 2011 in Durban, South Africa. Munich, Germany, and
Harbin, China, are also reportedly competing to host the global sporting event.
brk@yna.co.kr
(END)