Lotte chief goes all out for success of PyeongChang
Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin is doing his best for the nation’s first Olympic medal in snow sports.
Shin, who has led the Korea Ski Association (KSA) since 2014, visited the national ski team’s training camp in New Zealand, Aug. 13, to offer them words of encouragement.
“Your sweat on this foreign land’s snow will bring great joys to Koreans next year,” he told the athletes. “Please do your best to safely finish your training without any injury.”
The chairman promised to invest over 10 billion won ($8.8 million) in the KSA by 2020.
Thanks to his support, the KSA has increased the number of coaches and overseas training over the past three years.
The association has also enhanced rewards for achievements of the athletes. Koreans’ hopes for Olympic medals in snow sports have been higher as well.
When President Moon Jae-in invited heads of conglomerates to Cheong Wa Dae in July, Moon asked Shin about the outlook for the national ski team’s performance at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
“The team aims to clinch two medals, regardless of their metal,” Shin answered. “Winning a medal in cross-country skiing seemed impossible in the past, but Korea has now become one of powerhouses in Asia.”
The national ski team swept four gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals at the Sapporo Asian Winter Games in February. Alpine snowboarder Lee Sang-ho clinched a silver medal at the International Ski Federation (FIS) World Cup in March.
Norwegian-Korean skier Kim Magnus, who joined the Korean national team because of Shin’s support, won a gold medal at the Lillehammer Winter Youth Olympics last year.
Shin also met International Olympic Committee’s Coordination Commission Chairwoman Gunilla Lindberg, PyeongChang Organizing Committee President Lee Hee-beom, FIS President Gian Franco Kasper and FIS Secretary General Sarah Lewis to ask for their support for the successful Winter Games.
In line with Shin’s efforts, Lotte Department Store is focusing on promoting the PyeongChang Olympics.
More than 800 commemorative goods, including dolls, stationery items and fashion goods, are avail- able at its 26 nationwide stores and an online shopping mall.
As an official sponsor of the Winter Games, Lotte organized a team last December to develop the commemorative goods.
Marking the 100-day countdown to the Winter Olympics, Lotte Department Store will also begin running a promotion booth at its main branch from today.
Four-meter-high sculptures of Soohorang and Bandabi, the mascots of the PyeongChang Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, will be on display.
Korean athletes’ photos, taken by photographer Lee Myoung-ho, will be exhibited at Lotte Avenuel.
“Because the Winter Olympics is a sports festival attracting the whole world, we are carrying out unique marketing campaigns through our various channels to create an atmosphere in advance,” a Lotte Department Store official said. “We will come up with better products for the successful Winter Games and continue our marketing campaigns.”