Former Governor Jin-Sun Kim appointed to lead PyeongChang 2018 Olympics

Former Governor Jin-Sun Kim (on right, with Yuna Kim in Durban in July) will be appointed President of PyeonChang 2018 Organizing Committee

The man who created the dream 12 years ago has earned the role that will allow him to make it a reality.  Former Governor of Gangwon Province Jin-Sun Kim will be appointed President of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Organizing Committee on October 19 at the organization's inaugural assembly.

Kim served as chair for PyeongChang's unsuccessful runs at the 2010 and 2014 Games while Governor of the province that will host the 2018 Games.  He stepped down during the 2018 campaign but continued to play a formative role in the bid that went on to defeat opponents from Munich and Annecy, France. 

During the bid's final presentation in Durban, South Africa in July, Kim made an emotional plea to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) members - many with whom he shared strong relationships that had been built-up over the previous two campaigns.  It was his fundamental work building credibility and trust that was largely credited with earning the Korean town a resounding an historic first ballot victory.

It was after successfully hosting the Asian Winter Games in PyeongChang in 1999 that Kim made his dream known - a dream to host the Olympic Winter Games and transform his little-known province into a world class winter sport destination. 

“As Kim has served as Gangwon Province governor three times, he is the right person to realize the PyeongChang citizens’ dream", the Korean Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Kwang-shik Choi said during the official announcement.

Other rumoured contenders for the post included Yang-Ho Cho, Chairman of Korean Air and President of the PyeongChang 2018 bid committee and Yong-Sung Park, President of the Korean Olympic Committee.

Even with the Games over six years away, the work will begin immediately and Kim will liaise closely with Gunilla Lindberg who was appointed chair of the IOC Coordination Committee and also served as chair of the 2018 Evaluation Committee