[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
