글로벌 코로나바이러스 대유행의 와중인 6월14일 소규모 그룹의 Tokyo2020올림픽개최 반대항의집회가 Tokyo시내에서 있었는데 이는 다음날인 6월15일 Tokyo2020올림픽 IOC조정위원장 겸 IOC부위원장인 호주의 John Coates의 일본 도착을 앞두고 벌인 시위였다.
30명 가량의 시위대(protesters)는 비가 주룩주룩 내리는 이날 일본올림픽위원회(JOC)본부 건물 앞 야외에 서서 “우리는 올림픽이 필요 없다.”와 “Coates는 오지 마라!”라고 적힌 슬로건을 외치고 있었다고 Kyodo뉴스가 보도하였다.
(좌로부터 John Coates IOC부위원장, Thomas Bach IOC위원장의 사진이 보인다)
짧은 데모 중, 전시된 포스터내용에는 “건강 돌봄, 백신 또는 세금을 올림픽에 사용하지 마라! “(Do not use health care, vaccines or tax money for the Olympics)라는 메시지도 포함되어 있었다.
이들 시위대는 Tokyo2020올림픽 IOC조정위원장인 Coates가 지난 5월 개최도시인 도쿄가 비상사태 상태로 계속되더라도 올림픽은 여전히 치러질 수 있을 것으로 믿는다(he believed the Games could still be staged in Tokyo even if the city remained in a state of emergency)고 언급한 코멘트에 특히 분노하고(angry at comments) 있었다고 한다
6월15일 도착한 Coates는 전날인 6월14일 도착한 Kit McConnell IOC스포츠국장과 함께 Tokyo2020올림픽 최종준비점검 차(to oversee the final preparations) Tokyo에 머물고 있다.
시위대 중 한 여성 구성원은 “그들이 말로만 안전한 대회라고 하지만 정작 설명을 아무것도 하지 않고 있다”(They talk about a safe and secure [Games], but there's been zero explanation) “그들은 시간이 지나면 우리가 포기할 것으로 생각한다면 그들은 우리를 바보로 알고 있는 것”(They must take us for fools if they think we'll give up as time passes)이라고 언급하였다고 Kyodo 뉴스가 보도하였다.
[독도와 도쿄올림픽과 외로운 섬 독도(獨島)에 관한 제안 3편 종결 편(Tokyo Olympics and “Dokdo(獨島)”, Namely Only Lonely Island/Conclusion Edition)]
Tokyo2020올림픽개최 초읽기 상황에서 올림픽운동의 지속 가능한 유산 가치(Sustainable Legacy of Olympic Movement)와 연계하여 독도 이슈 3번째 이야기를 시작한다.
독도(獨島) 이슈에 대해 국내와는 달리 아직까지 외신(SNS포함)에서는 단 한 줄도 다루고 있지 않고 있다. (‘Dokto’ issue appears neither as stories nor as articles in global media including SNS as yet, even though Korean media and local heavy weight politicians including local civic groups claim even Olympic boycott at the up-coming Tokyo2020 Games.)
그래서 필자는 조심스럽게 또 개인적으로 생각하는 독도 해법에 대하여 상생하는 입장에서 늦지 않게 이 문제를 해결할 수 있는 독도 및 건전한 제안을 영어로(혹시 외신이나 외국 친구들과의 공감대 형성을 꾀하기 위하여)하고자 한다. (With this in mind, I decided to carefully and personally touch upon ‘Dokto’ and some sound suggestions to solve this issue sooner than later on a win-win basis.)
오늘은 그 시리즈 3편 종결 편을 소개한다.
(Five Rings are an interactive symbol of Peace and Harmony and Friendship through the Olympics. Map showing Dokdo island at Tokyo2020 Olympic Torch Relay Route seems to be an inappropriate showcase.)
*Series III: IOC and the future Impact of the Olympic Movement with Sustainable Legacy
The Olympic Movement would have to create a new model to showcase “Fast to Follow” and “First to Move” at all times.
The successful organization of Pyeongchang2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games has brought together the peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula as an example. The joint bid of South and North Korea (Seoul-Pyeongyang) for 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games is a product in an extension of the PyeongChang2018 as a log-lasting legacy.
It creates the spirit of hope of peace and harmony in an only divided territory of Korean Peninsula in the world.
The Olympics is one and only tool and bridges to unite the people and overcome political differences.
The Olympic Games came a long way in the human society while showcasing the remedy to solve the insolvable issues.
Let me exemplify as follows:Seoul, Host City of the Games of the 24th Olympiad1988, has already entered into its own Plan 2040 to integrate and enhance the qualities of social life and welfare of its citizens as early as two years ago, and its Plan 2040 encompasses the idea of City-Growth, City-Redevelopment, and City-Branding in which sport is one of the core values and themes.
In 2022, there will be a Presidential election of the Republic of Korea, and the Korean political circles are in full support of the sport movement.
As IOC President Bach once mentioned, “At this moment in time, no other event brings the entire world together in peace, like the Olympic Games.
The Olympic Games are the best expression of our values in action.
The Olympic Games must be beyond all the political tensions.
The Olympic Games must not be a tool for political maneuvering.
The Olympic Games must be seen as a stage for dialogue.
The Olympic Games are a symbol of hope and for peace.
This is the message the Olympic Movement promote.
In this way, the Olympic Games can play an important part to promote friendship, peace and solidarity through sport in the post-coronavirus world.”
Aristotle once said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
#Episode:
In London2012 Games, Korean national football team player PARK Jong-woo was denied his Olympic bronze medal and barred from appearing on the podium of the victory ceremony by the IOC for holding up a banner that read, “Dokdo is Korean territory,” right after a football match against Japan.
It was against the Olympic Charter Article 50-2. Eventually, he came to receive his bronze medal back in February 2013 after a disciplinary hearing panel delivered him a warning from the IOC.
As stipulated in the Olympic Charter, IOC abides by its rule “to oppose any political or commercial abuse of sport and athletes.”
(PARK, Jong-woo, Korean Olympic football team player holding up a banner with a message of "Dokto island is part of Korean territory" right after Olympic Football match against Japan at London2012)
It is still unclear why while the IOC prohibits using ‘Hakenkreuz’, a symbol of Nazi of Hitler, it tends to fail to notice using cheering equipment for the Japanese team showcasing a symbolic design of war criminal in the 2nd World War, called “Flag of the Rising Sun”.
Should the Korean government decide the Olympic boycott, the victims are evidently the Korean national athletes who have prepared for the Tokyo2020 Games for such a long time.
However, under such unfair circumstances in relation to ‘Dokto’ issue, it would also be difficult to insist that the Korean team should participate in Tokyo2020 Games, because it would give an undue and wrong impression to the whole world in the long run that it might put more weight on Japan’s claim on ‘Dokto’ as its territory.
In my opinion, it would be much more effective for two Korean IOC members to write a letter appealing to all their colleagues-IOC members and International Federations Presidents as well as the global media in order to persuade them with a precedent case applied at the PyeongChang2018 Winter Games.
It would, then, move the IOC to interact with global reaction for the fair and due direction.
I personally think it would remain one last resort for Korea to resolve the ‘Dokto’ issue on the occasion of Tokyo2020 Games.
As Winston Churchill once said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference, and now this is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”
At the same time, it reminds me of a Korean movie titled “It is not completely over until finally concluded.”
Written by Prof. Rocky YOON Kang-ro, Ph.D.
President of International Sport Diplomacy Institute
