6th Anniversary Event at the PyeongChang Olympic Memorial Hall
“Sending a message of peace through simultaneous entry by North and South Korea. Now, a new generation in Gangwon is opening new horizons and
realizing their dreams of becoming a promising winter sports vulnerable country.”
Thomas Bach, Chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who is staying in Korea during the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympic Games, attended the 6th anniversary ceremony of the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics held at the Pyeongchang Olympic Memorial Hall in Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do on the 31st and delivered a congratulatory speech. From the left, IOC member Kim Jae-yeol, Pyeongchang Memorial Foundation Chairman Yoo Seung-min (IOC member), Chairman Bach, Pyeongchang County Governor Shim Jae-guk, and Gangwon Province Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs Jeong Gwang-yeol.
“Six years ago in Pyeongchang, the Olympics opened the door to greater peace. I don’t want to close that door again. The 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics clearly shows how the legacy of the Pyeongchang Olympics continues. Now, a new generation is opening new horizons in Gangwon.”
Thomas Bach, Chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), emphasized this while attending an event commemorating the 6th anniversary of the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Games held at the Pyeongchang Olympic Memorial Hall in Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do on the 31st. The Pyeongchang Olympic Memorial Hall was created by remnants of the Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies were held, when it was demolished.
Chairman Bach said, “When I come back here again, I get goosebumps because I remember the emotion I felt during the PyeongChang Olympics six years ago. The Pyeongchang Olympics are special to me and historically. “It is because it is a competition that shows the essence of the power of sports,” he said. “During the Pyeongchang Olympics, South Korea and North Korea showed the power of unity in sports by entering the opening ceremony at the same time and forming a single women’s ice hockey team.”
He continued, “Even on the day of the opening ceremony (February 9th), I almost returned without participating (in the Olympics) because of the problem of the North Korean team entering with the Korean Peninsula flag. “It was only four hours before the opening ceremony that I heard that North and South Korea had reached an agreement,” he said. “This is an example that shows that the Olympics can open the door to dialogue.”
He continued, “The 2018 Pyeongchang Memorial Foundation’s ‘Dream Program’ and ‘New Horizon Project’ have consistently contributed to the growth of promising athletes from countries with a weak winter sports base. “Thanks to that, Jonathan Rourimi (Tunisia) and Agnese Campheol (Thailand) were able to write new history at this Youth Olympics,” he said. Rurimi won a silver medal in the men’s monobob (single-person) bobsled, and Campheol won a silver medal in the women’s monobob.
Chairman Bach said, “I am grateful to the 2018 Pyeongchang Memorial Foundation for successfully passing on the legacy of the Pyeongchang Olympics to the next generation. We hope that you will continue to help the IOC share the value of peace. He concluded his congratulatory speech by saying, “I hope that the Pyeongchang Olympics will be able to celebrate beyond the 6th anniversary and into the 100th anniversary.” Afterwards, he cut a commemorative cake with Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics medalists Jaehwan Jae (monobob), Yeonsu Shin (skeleton), and Shini Yoon (mogul skiing).
The event, which was attended by IOC member Seung-min Yoo, chairman of the 2018 Pyeongchang Memorial Foundation, gave an opening speech, along with the ‘human bird’ Sergey Bopka (Ukraine), a gold medalist in the pole vault at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, former speed skater Zhang Hong (China), and Kim Jae-yeol of the International Skating Union (ISU). ) About 50 people, including 9 IOC members including the president, attended. 사설토토
