We drank a bitter cup of defeat twice but we will most certainly succeed on our third. If ‘PyeongChang dream’ comes true, Korea will emerge as a country that hosted all four global sports event following the 1988 Seoul Olympics, 2002 World Cup, 2011 Daegu World Championship in Athletics. This places Korea second only to Japan in Asia and earning the privilege to host the Olympics, more than ever, is getting one step closer to being recognized as a developed nation. However, Korea has to face its rival countries, Munchen, Germany and Annecy, France. The 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics Bidding Committee and Samsung Group are hoping to host the 2018 Winter Olympics and if so, they will incorporate IT in their own separate ways to boost Korea as a high-tech, IT nation.
“I cannot guarantee that PyeongChang will be the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympics but I am convinced that the possibility will increase if Koreans collaborate on their efforts, even wishing upon a star, to truly organize the game. Currently the government, KOC, game organizers, and other groups are supporting the bidding committee to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. Moreover, we are parading our immaculate facilities of Olympic stadiums, convenient transportation network, and our most proud ‘Dream Program’ to persuade and assure IOC members that PyeongChang city should host the game” said Kim Jin-sun, Governor of Gangwan-do and also co-chairman of bidding committee for the 2018 Winter Olympics, during an interview with Korea IT Times on February 3rd.
Q: What specifically is the situation on developing stadium facilities and
building infrastructure to host the Olympic Games
A: First to keep in mind is that there must be thirteen stadiums to host an
Olympics Game. As of now, we have a total of seven stadiums; biathlon,
cross country, ski jumping, are being held at Alpensia, alpine skiing at YongPyong resort, curling at GangNeung indoor ice rink, and freestyle skiing, and snowboard at Phoenix Park. Each of these stadiums epitomizes world-class level qualities but we are continuing on to improve their worth.
Q: What do you consider as PyeongChang’s strength that makes the city have the right to host the 2018 Winter Olympics
A: PyeongChang has quite a savory arrangement of stadiums, in which every stadiums takes
within half an hour from Alpensia stadium and we have persistently practiced the ‘Dream
Program’ that supported the IOC in its endeavors for the Olympic Movement and for the
record, 806 youths from 42 countries participated for 7 years. In addition, governmental
agenda strongly entails the support of hosting the game and national spiritual mobilization is
91.4% and PyeongChang alone is 93.4% which means that national unity is concentrated and
determined.
Q: What are the special programs focused on IT technologies that Korea,
known as IT nation, is proposing to create a new version of sports game
A: Incorporating IT technologies into 2018 Winter Olympics is to draw a
whole new picture of the Olympics, namely “Dream Olympics.” Korea has long since been
striving to be a role model of IT country and has been concentrating its energy on
constructing IT infrastructure so that cutting-edge service is everywhere. Not to mention
Korea proved its state-of-the-art technology in 2002 FIFA Korea-Japan World Cup and 2005
APEC summit. Thus, we will provide ubiquitous environment to IOC board members,
athletes, media, and visitors to give them everlasting surprises of IT technology combined with
U-Games. To give you a basic scope of these particular IT technologies, first there is u-facility
service that provides a similar atmosphere that of the real stadium, augmenting athletic
performance. Second, u-accommodation service takes the responsibility of full
accommodation including room and board and also offers video-telephony through mobiles.
Third, u-transportation service presents electronic map and transportation information via u-
gate PDA. Lastly, u-media service uses personal device WiBro and provides high-tech services
to reporters and journalists to aid them in writing real time articles and transferring
information on spot.
Q: If Korea gets to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, how will you return the
honor to the country
A: In this case, the whole country will spread the Olympics Movement,
turning up a notch on expanding the base. Also, we will expand ‘Dream Program’ to nurture more talented youths. Most importantly, we will transfer the Olympics fever to ease the tension between North Korea, contributing peace between the two Koreas.
Q: So all this boils down to this one question, what is the possibility for Korea
to host 2018 Winter Olympics
A: Well, I cannot give you the exact numerical data but Asia, especially South
Korea’s popularity in winter sports has significantly increased over the past few years and we have strongly reinforced Olympics Movement. I expect to see a huge leap in our country’s national brand and enormous economic ripple effect if we have the honor to host the game.
Amid governmental undertaking of this hefty issue on becoming the host city for the 2018 Winter Olympics, Korea’s conglomerate, Samsung, also gets into the full swing to merge IT with the Olympics. Lee Kun-hee, former President of Samsung Group, joins on getting a second bite at the cherry on the third try as well; after making a public appearance at the ‘CES 2010’ in Las Vegas, he left for Vancouver Olympics on the 8th soon after he attended late Lee Byung-chul’s 100th anniversary. On the 8th, IOC held an executive committee and agreed to accept Lee’s comeback of becoming one of IOC members. Lee’s attempt can be understood as Samsung hoping Korea to be the organizer of the game for 2018 but more focused on combining their IT with the Olympics to elevate their company’s value. Nonetheless, he in fact said that he will attend the IOC meeting in Vancouver and make a strenuous effort to host the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. Thus, Samsung has a vested interest in hosting the Olympics and is sure preparing the ground.
In spite of everything, conglomerates like Samsung must have an inborn motive to act in behalf of the country other than upgrading the national brand. To get down to the nitty gritty, Samsung developed together with the Olympics, promoting their title and products at the events. In the past decade, while Samsung sponsored the Olympics, their brand value jumped by five times and their global cell phone market share also increased by nearly six times. Furthermore, they were able to break away from their branded image of ‘home appliance manufacturer’ to cutting-edge global brand and the top manufacturer of electronics. All in all, Samsung is playing their cards right and going up the steps two at a time, in which the company is serving well to the country even as uplifting their corporate brand.
