평창 2018유치 "조양호 호" 의 전세계 순항, 어찌 되어가나? -Korea Times지 조양호유치위원장 인터뷰(시리즈: 25/동계올림픽유치경쟁)

조양호 2018년 평창동계올림픽유치위원회 위원장은 평창의 "더반대첩"을 위해 헌신적으로 전세계를 누비며 유치활동에 박차를 가하고 있다.
올림픽운동에서 가장 좋아하는 단어는 "결단"(determination)이란다.
평창2018유치의 슬로건은 "새로운 지평"(New Horizons)이다.
조양호 위원장이 내세운 평창 2018의 핵심메시지는 "새로운 동계스포츠 시장개척"이다.
삼 세번의 매력(a third-time charm)이 평창만의 강점이기도 하다.



1998년 나가노 동계올림픽 이후 20년 만에 다시 아시아 대륙으로 동계올림픽을 유치해야 하는 절대절명의 역사적 사명을 완수하기위하여 동분서주하고 있는 조양호 평창 2018유치위원장이 최근 코리라 타임즈지와 인터뷰를 가졌다.

PyeongChang 2018 will be featured on a Korean Air aircraft. (PyeongChang 2018)

그의 유치 열정은 상상을 초월한다.
전 세계 IOC위원 104명 전체를 상대로 담판을 짓고자 각오를 다지고 대한항공 보잉777-200 최신 기종을 평창2018로고로 디자인하였다.
물론 IOC의 권고로 비행기 기종에 대한 평창2018 디자인은 원위치 되긴 하였지만 그만큼 열정과 애정과 집념이 그만큼 남다르다는 이야기다.
평창2018 조양호 호의 순항에 동승하여 함께 힘을 합쳐 반드시 평창의 꿈을 실현시키자. 

Korea to spread winter sports in Asia

Cho Yang-ho By Yoon Chul Last month the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Bid Committee made its first presentation in the competition with other bidding cities — Annecy of France and Munich of Germany — in Acapulco, Mexico. At that time Cho Yang-ho, president of the bid committee, took the podium with the theme of “New Horizons.” “Among the many advantages, the PyeongChang Olympic Games can spread winter sports to other Asian countries,” Cho told The Korea Times in an interview. “We can open new markets for winter sports and attract many new participants in Asia to enjoy them,” Cho said. With the goal of spreading winter sports, PyeongChang has been operating the so-called “Dream Program.” The Dream Program is designed to provide youngsters with chances to experience winter sports. “It started in 2004 and over the last seven years 806 youths from 42 countries were invited and three of them participated in the Vancouver Olympics,” Cho said. “We already gave our word to the Olympic families and the program will continue regardless of PyeongChang’s winning the Olympic campaign,” added Cho. While Cho was in Mexico for the presentation he realized that there was some skepticism about PyeongChang regarding its ability to host such a big sports festival, in view of its relatively small size. Recently another small city, Yeongam in South Jeolla Province, hosted the first Formula One Korean Grand Prix from Oct. 22 to 24. The city lacked some facilities, accommodation in particular. PyeongChang, however, is totally different, according to Cho. “There were some worries that PyeongChang would lack restaurants, shopping mall and amusement facilities, which proved exaggerated,” Cho explained. “Gangwon Province has many top-class ski resorts including the newly launched Alpensia resort, mainly in preparation for the Winter Games.” “The resorts have good accommodation with amusement facilities,” added Cho. PyeongChang is one of the representative resort cities in Korea. In summer a vast number of swimming pools, equipped with water slides, artificial wave pools and spas — some of them as interior facilities to enjoy in winter — at the resorts to attract visitors. In winter, lots of skiers and snowboarders head to Gangwon Province. Last year more than 29 million people visited Gangwon Province including 9 million who chose PyeongChang. In winter more than 1.5 million foreigners visit the province to take part in winter sports. As PyeongChang is very close to the East Sea, visitors can enjoy fresh seafood and there are many places to go fishing, yachting and visit spas. In addition the city will come closer to the world before 2018, boosted by the rapid growth of high technology in Korea. “There is another misunderstanding that PyeongChang is far from Seoul or Incheon,” he said. “A bullet-train will be launched in 2017, which will take only 68 minutes from Incheon International Airport to PyeongChang and 50 minutes from Seoul,” Cho said. The bidding city is within two hours reach by plane for a billion Asians and from Seoul it takes only two or three hours to PyeongChang thanks to newly expanded highways. As PyeongChang pledged to the International Olympic Committee, the bid committee has prepared infrastructure, such as Alpensia resort and better transportation. And they are gaining experience by hosting international winter sports for a well organized Winter Games in 2018. The bid committee has begun efforts to prepare for the next inspection, scheduled for February. “We are going to show our infrastructure while introducing ways to enjoy winter sports in PyeongChang,” Cho said.

yc@koreatimes.co.kr