International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach (second from right) greets the press and holds up a plush toy of Soohorang, the PyeongChang Olympic mascot, after arriving at Jinbu Station in Pyeongchang-gun County, Gangwon-do Province, on Jan. 30.
By Lee Hana
Photos & Video = International Olympic Committee (IOC)
“The stage has been set, and everything is moving like clockwork.”
These were the first words uttered by Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), when he arrived at Seoul’s Incheon International Airport on Jan. 30.
“I’m very happy to finally be in Korea. I have high hopes for PyeongChang,” said Bach, who came to Korea to check on preparations for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, 10 days before the Opening Ceremony.
From the airport, Bach took the high-speed KTX Gyeonggang train and headed straight to Jinbu Station in Pyeongchang-gun County, Gangwon-do Province. Upon arrival, Bach was greeted by a group of Olympic volunteers and press teams.
“The Korean people will know that the world is looking at Korea, and that people all over the world are enthusiastic about news from Korea,” said Bach, asking that domestic audiences show keen support for the PyeongChang Games.
“It’s not only about the ice hockey team. I think it’s about the message that the joint march of the team will send. This has been enthusiastically welcomed by the world,” he stressed, talking about North Korea’s participation in the Games.
IOC President Thomas Bach poses for a selfie with members of Team Korea at a winter sports training facility at the Alpensia Olympic Park in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do Province, on Jan. 30.
Next, Bach paid a visit to a training facility for the Korean national team located at Pyeongchang’s Alpensia Olympic Park. There, the IOC chief met with Team Korea’s athletes, like skeleton racer Yun Sung-bin and bobsledder Won Yun-jong, and offered them words of encouragement for the big event.
Finally, Bach visited the PyeongChang Organizing Committee (POCOG) headquarters, and got a progress report from POCOG President Lee Hee-beom and POCOG Vice President of Games Planning Kim Ki-hong.
hlee10@korea.kr
