Moon pledges full support for PyeongChang Olympics
Korea’s new president will have the honor of declaring the opening of the 2018 Winter Olympics, which will take place in the resort town of PyeongChang, Feb. 9 to 25 next year.
Moon Jae-in, presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) who won the election Tuesday, vowed that ensuring the success of the Winter Olympics will be his big challenge as it will become one of the top state affairs.
Moon also vowed to make the country’s first-ever Winter Games a “peace Olympics.” On the campaign trail last month in Gangwon Province, the home province of the host city PyeongChang, Moon vowed he would cooperate with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to let North Korea send its delegation to the PyeongChang Games. He also promised to provide an overland route for the North Korean delegation and seaway for the North Korean cheering squad. Moon added he will discuss with North Korea to hold an Olympics festival at Mount Kumgang, the North Korean mountain that stands as a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation.
Moon also pledged he will push to promote the host city’s local economy through a business plan to nurture small businesses and a traditional market at the Olympic site.
The sports sector was a key trigger that led to the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye.
Some universities faced a backlash for their practice of accepting student athletes to finance their sports teams. To prevent further corruption, Moon said he will improve transparency in college admissions for student athletes.
During a group debate featuring five policymakers representing the five leading candidates last month, Lee Yong-sik, a professor at the Department of Sports and Leisure Studies at Catholic Kwandong University and an official from Moon’s camp, said Moon will establish an impartial panel to set high standards for schools in admitting student athletes.
Regarding the aging population, Moon has laid out his agenda for sports activities for the public, especially the elderly.