IOC Member Lee's Successful Job

Samsung Chairman Lee flew around the world to win IOC members'votes

Chairman Lee Kun-hee of Samsung Group, also a member of the International Olympic Committee, seemed truly moved at the announcement that PyeongChang had been picked as the host city of the 2018 Winter Olympics at a vote during the IOC meeting in Durban, South Africa, on July 6.
He had many good reasons to be surprised and at the same time grateful to the IOC members who voted for the Korean city, as he invested so much time and effort into winning the hosting rights over the past year and half, knowing that PyeongChang failed in its first two attempts -- once in 2003, losing to Vancouver, Canada, and again in 2007, losing to Sochi, Russia.
Personally too, PyeongChang's success was crucial to him because he got a special Presidential pardon for his conviction for the misuse of company funds in the name of his work for PyeongChang's bid as an IOC member. As soon as he was pardoned in January 2010, he flew to Vancouver to watch the Winter Olympics and meet with fellow IOC members to win their votes for the Korean city's third bid.
Since then, the Korean IOC member has made 11 overseas trips, flying a total distance of 210,000 km -- equal to circling the globe five times -- to attend IOC meetings and various sports events to talk with fellow IOC members in his quest to bring the 2018 Winter Olympics to PyeongChang.
Officials of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics Bidding Committee recalled that the Samsung chairman called on every IOC member who he thought he should meet to sway their vote. He met with one IOC member five times to make sure he got his commitment for the Korean city.
Lee did not just have fleeting meetings with IOC members. He met them for either lunch or dinner so that he could have enough time to persuade them. Often he and his wife met them over intimate meals, as he found it a more effective approach to get their commitments to vote for the Korean town. It was particularly so with IOC members from Latin American countries and India. The Samsung chairman often had his son Jae-yong, his daughter Boo-jin and his son-in-law Kim Jae-yeol, chairman of the Korean Speed Skating Association, with him to join IOC members and their family members for meals.
Lee met with all 110 IOC members in the past year and half up leading up to the Durban IOC meeting. nw

Chairman Lee Kun-hee of Samsung Group, and also a member of the International Olympic Committee, center, is seen celebrating the announcement that PyeongChang received the hosting rights for the 2018 Winter Olympics at an IOC meeting in Durban, South Africa on July 6. To his right is Minister Choung Byoung-gug of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Photos on Courtesy of the MCST

"Like Tsunami Sweeping Durban"

Chairman Park of Korean Olympic Committee celebrates outstanding victory for PyeongChang in Durban

chairman Park Yong-song of Korea Olympic Committee said, The PyeongChang Tsunami engulfed Durban, when describing his joy for the Korean city clinching the hosting rights for the 2018 Winter Olympics at the IOC vote in Durban, South Africa, on July 2.
The KOC chairman stayed in Durban for several days after the IOC announcement to thank IOC members for their votes for the Korean city.
Many IOC members said a tsunami hit Durban in describing PyeongChang's victory, getting 63 votes to Munich's 35, which was 10 fewer votes than expected, although the German government extended strong support to their bidding team, Park said. Park, who is also chairman of Doosan Heavy Industries, recalled that what brought the Korean victory was the whole-hearted support of IOC members from Africa and Asia in the face of divided European IOC members.
He said the PyeongChang presentation's main theme opening New Horizons worked well to their advantage, captivating IOC members. President Lee Myung-bak was also a tremendous help as he met many IOC members individually following his arrival in Durban and made a speech in English at the PyeongChang presentation pledging the government support to PyeongChang if it wins the hosting rights. Korean IOC member Lee Kun-hee was also a huge support for PyeongChang as he worked hard to get fellow IOC members'votes.
KOC Chairman Park said the tasks ahead now include upgrading the development of talented athletes, especially in the unpopular sectors such as long ski jumping, Nordic skiing and toboggan races, among others. We started at the bottom for the 1988 Seoul Olympics and came in fourth in medal rankings, and this time, too, we have to start at the bottom and set the schedule wisely to win a very good result from the PyeongChang winter event.
Park also brushed aside talk of co-hosting with North Korea, saying that those who raise such questions don't know how things work. Furthermore, North Korea has to decide by itself whether or not it would want to co-host the winter global sports event. nw

The jubilant Chairman Park Yong-song of Korea Olympic Committee, raise his hands following the announcement in Durban.

Chairman Park Yong-song of Korea Olympic Committee seen at an event celebrating the 91st anniversary of the Korea Olympic Committee founding.

Photos on Courtesy of the MCST