News

Future host eyes top spot

Updated: 2010-03-16 13:00

Incheon in the Republic of Korea is set to host the 17th Asian Games and will take over the flag from Guangzhou, the host city of this year’s 16th Asian Games in Novem?ber. Kim Lk Kyum, the minister counselor of the Republic of Korea in China, said he is full of expecta?tions on that moment.

As South Korea’s third largest metropolis after Seoul and Busan, Incheon is an international business hub, and home to South Korea’s tall?est building, the 305 m tall North?east Asia Trade Tower.

South Korea has been the host of two previous Asian Games in 1986 and 2002, and has competed at every event except one in 1951.

At the 14th Asian Games held in Busan in 2002, a total of 7,556 ath?letes competed, from 44 countries. It was the first time in the history of the Asian Games that all 44-mem?ber nations of the Olympic Council of Asia participated.

Recalling the Games held at Seoul in 1986, the minister coun?selor thought it symbolized a breakthrough in sporting relations between Korea and China and described it as the “first remarkable and impressive exchange between China and Korea in sports.”

He remembered that the “Chi?nese mission delegation sent the most athletes and achieved great records.”

Korea has enjoyed much success over the years and is one of Asia’s strongest sporting nations.

The country attaches much importance to sports. The team came second overall at the last Games and the minister counselor hoped that the “Korea delegation can maintain the same record this year and perhaps achieve better.”

He added: “The Asian Games is not only the biggest Asian sports event but also provides an excellent opportunity for cultural exchange and friendship, more so than an economic partnership.”

The minister counselor enjoyed the opening and closing ceremonies at the Beijing Olympics and said: “We are looking forward to seeing the opening ceremony of Guang?zhou Asian Games especially the innovation of the torch-lightening.”

This year’s Games in Guangzhou “are a good opportunity for China to show its healthy image and pros?perity to the people of Asia and the world,” said the minister counselor.

He thought the vision “thrilling Games, Harmonious Asia” was a good way to sum up Asia’s hopes for the Games.

As an expert studying China for a long time, the minister counselor speaks fluent Chinese. He visited Guangzhou in 2003 and learnt a lot about life there. He saw it as the pioneer city of the opening up and reform, and was certain it will be a capable host of the 2010 Asian Games. A Taekwondo competition between the two countries will be held in Guangzhou this October just before the opening of the Games. The minister counselor hoped he might get the chance to visit Guangzhou’s Fanyu district again to find out what changes have taken place there.

The minister counselor likes to be active. He gets up very early in the morning and often goes for an hour’s walk.

He also enjoys baseball and winter sports like skiing and skating. Hav?ing been to China many times, the minister counselor is used to life in Beijing. He plans to travel along part of the Silk Road. He is also a fan of Chinese culture and likes the songs of the Chinese singer Deng Lijun.