 |
| Lee Hee-beom, president of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, left, shakes hands with Gunilla Lindberg, head of the International Olympic Committee's Coordination Commission for the PyeongChang Games during a press conference held at the Press Center in central Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap |
By Baek Byung-yeul
Lee Hee-beom, the newly elected chief organizer for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, has vowed to make sure Korea successfully hosts its first Winter Olympic Games.
Lee held his first official press meeting, Friday, since being named president of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) last week. The press conference was in the Korea Press Center in central Seoul.
He replaced Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, who abruptly announced his departure from the committee earlier this month to concentrate on urgent management issues at his company.
Lee, 67, served as minister of commerce, industry and energy from 2003 to 2006 and worked as head of the Korea Productivity Center and chancellor of Seoul National University of Science and Technology. Most recently, he served as an advisor to LG International Corp.
"As the new chief, I feel a heavy responsibility," he said. "As many people pointed out, I admit that I am not a specialist in sports and I am fully aware that we are running out of time. But I will give my best to make a historic Olympics."
Explaining that the Olympics are not just a big sports event, Lee said he will make Korea's first Winter Games an economic, peaceful, cultural and environmental Olympics. He also said he will maximize the organizing committee's manpower and work closely with every related party, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to run a sustainable Olympics.
Gunilla Lindberg, head of the IOC's Coordination Commission for the PyeongChang Games, also attended the press conference and said she was satisfied with the preparation level of the POCOG.
"I came here to welcome Lee into the Olympic movement and to let him know that I and the other members of the IOC Coordination Commission are ready to support in any way we can," Lindberg said.
During their first meeting, they checked preparations for the Games, including accommodation and the construction sites for venues.
"We have been greatly impressed by Lee's energy and passion for the project," Lindberg said. "We have been informed that since his official start this past Monday, Lee has met and addressed the POCOG staff, and he has already visited the venues in PyeongChang and Gangneung. He has met with leaders of the national and regional government as well as the heads of national federations.
"It is obvious that PyeongChang 2018 is in very capable hands. We also hope that the PyeongChang Games will benefit from Lee's vast experience in sectors like business, finance and government relations."
When asked about the POCOG's fiscal stability, Lee expressed confidence. "It is true that we are on a tight budget," he said. "But we are setting our fourth budget plan after considering all those concerns. We will accomplish 90 percent of the corporate sponsorship goal (870 billion won or $731 million) by the end of this year."
Lee held his first official press meeting, Friday, since being named president of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) last week. The press conference was in the Korea Press Center in central Seoul.
He replaced Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, who abruptly announced his departure from the committee earlier this month to concentrate on urgent management issues at his company.
Lee, 67, served as minister of commerce, industry and energy from 2003 to 2006 and worked as head of the Korea Productivity Center and chancellor of Seoul National University of Science and Technology. Most recently, he served as an advisor to LG International Corp.
"As the new chief, I feel a heavy responsibility," he said. "As many people pointed out, I admit that I am not a specialist in sports and I am fully aware that we are running out of time. But I will give my best to make a historic Olympics."
Explaining that the Olympics are not just a big sports event, Lee said he will make Korea's first Winter Games an economic, peaceful, cultural and environmental Olympics. He also said he will maximize the organizing committee's manpower and work closely with every related party, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to run a sustainable Olympics.
Gunilla Lindberg, head of the IOC's Coordination Commission for the PyeongChang Games, also attended the press conference and said she was satisfied with the preparation level of the POCOG.
"I came here to welcome Lee into the Olympic movement and to let him know that I and the other members of the IOC Coordination Commission are ready to support in any way we can," Lindberg said.
During their first meeting, they checked preparations for the Games, including accommodation and the construction sites for venues.
"We have been greatly impressed by Lee's energy and passion for the project," Lindberg said. "We have been informed that since his official start this past Monday, Lee has met and addressed the POCOG staff, and he has already visited the venues in PyeongChang and Gangneung. He has met with leaders of the national and regional government as well as the heads of national federations.
"It is obvious that PyeongChang 2018 is in very capable hands. We also hope that the PyeongChang Games will benefit from Lee's vast experience in sectors like business, finance and government relations."
When asked about the POCOG's fiscal stability, Lee expressed confidence. "It is true that we are on a tight budget," he said. "But we are setting our fourth budget plan after considering all those concerns. We will accomplish 90 percent of the corporate sponsorship goal (870 billion won or $731 million) by the end of this year."
Lee held his first official press meeting, Friday, since being named president of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) last week. The press conference was in the Korea Press Center in central Seoul.
He replaced Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho, who abruptly announced his departure from the committee earlier this month to concentrate on urgent management issues at his company.
Lee, 67, served as minister of commerce, industry and energy from 2003 to 2006 and worked as head of the Korea Productivity Center and chancellor of Seoul National University of Science and Technology. Most recently, he served as an advisor to LG International Corp.
"As the new chief, I feel a heavy responsibility," he said. "As many people pointed out, I admit that I am not a specialist in sports and I am fully aware that we are running out of time. But I will give my best to make a historic Olympics."
Explaining that the Olympics are not just a big sports event, Lee said he will make Korea's first Winter Games an economic, peaceful, cultural and environmental Olympics. He also said he will maximize the organizing committee's manpower and work closely with every related party, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to run a sustainable Olympics.
Gunilla Lindberg, head of the IOC's Coordination Commission for the PyeongChang Games, also attended the press conference and said she was satisfied with the preparation level of the POCOG.
"I came here to welcome Lee into the Olympic movement and to let him know that I and the other members of the IOC Coordination Commission are ready to support in any way we can," Lindberg said.
During their first meeting, they checked preparations for the Games, including accommodation and the construction sites for venues.
"We have been greatly impressed by Lee's energy and passion for the project," Lindberg said. "We have been informed that since his official start this past Monday, Lee has met and addressed the POCOG staff, and he has already visited the venues in PyeongChang and Gangneung. He has met with leaders of the national and regional government as well as the heads of national federations.
"It is obvious that PyeongChang 2018 is in very capable hands. We also hope that the PyeongChang Games will benefit from Lee's vast experience in sectors like business, finance and government relations."
When asked about the POCOG's fiscal stability, Lee expressed confidence. "It is true that we are on a tight budget," he said. "But we are setting our fourth budget plan after considering all those concerns. We will accomplish 90 percent of the corporate sponsorship goal (870 billion won or $731 million) by the end of this year."