International Olympic Committee : News

PyeongChang 2018 Launches Official Emblem

5/3/2013 8:30:00 AM

The ceremony was attended by Gunilla Lindberg, Chair of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission for PyeongChang 2018; Jin-sun Kim, the President of POCOG; Jinryong Yoo, the Republic of Korea’s Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Moon-soon Choi, Governor of Gangwon Province; Jung-haeng Kim, President of the Korean Olympic Committee; and Sang-hwa Lee, Olympic gold medallist in speed skating. A congratulatory message was also delivered on behalf of Geun-hye Park, the President of the Republic of Korea.

Where the earth meets the sky

The emblem’s design has its roots in Hangul, with the shapes that form the logo stemming from the first consonants of each syllable in the word “PyeongChang” when it is written in Hangul. The first character in the emblem also represents a gathering place where the three elements of Cheon-ji-in – heaven, earth, and human – are in harmony. The second character symbolises snow and ice, as well as the athletes’ stellar performances. PyeongChang 2018’s new emblem symbolises a grand gathering of people from all around the world in celebration of Olympic winter sports, which is taking place in the harmonious land of PyeongChang – “A square where the earth meets the sky, and where athletes excel in snow or on ice - that’s where everyone will celebrate the world’s biggest winter festival in 2018.”

Discovering Culture and Traditions

Commenting on the emblem, IOC President Jacques Rogge said, “I would like to congratulate the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee on the launch of its innovative new emblem. As an athlete, part of the excitement of participating in the Games is discovering the culture and traditions of the host country, and for the PyeongChang Games, that discovery begins today with this new identity. Combining elements of the Korean alphabet and oriental philosophy, this new brand will allow people to immediately connect with Korea and the 2018 Games vision of New Horizons. I wish PyeongChang 2018 a great deal of success in sharing this new emblem with the world.”

Celebrate in Harmony

Commission Chair Lindberg said after the ceremony, “In just under five years’ time, PyeongChang 2018 will welcome athletes and spectators from around the world to celebrate in harmony at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games. This new emblem truly reflects those values and PyeongChang and Korea’s commitment to staging truly outstanding Games that will create new horizons for winter sport and the Olympic Movement in Korea and across Asia. I would therefore like to congratulate the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee for its work and commitment to turning its brand vision into a reality.”

Traditional Korean Colours

The emblem uses five traditional Korean colours – black, blue/green, yellow, red, and white – which is the same colour scheme as that found in the Olympic flag. Traditionally, blue and green were represented by a single word in Hangul but this has now changed, with separate words now existing for each. The five cardinal colours are found in many aspects of daily life and tradition in Korea, including in clothing, celebrations, martial arts, architecture, art and food.

Gain Momentum

President Kim of POCOG commented, “Our Games preparations will certainly gain momentum in light of today’s launch of the emblem. I wish that all of us at POCOG and residents of Gangwon Province as well as Koreans involved in sports, culture and business take the ownership of delivering one of the most successful Games in Olympic history, with the same passion and spirit that we demonstrated throughout our bid efforts.”

Across All Communications

The development process of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic emblem was masterminded by Jong-joo Ha, who is known for his branding expertise that spans a wide range of projects, such as the corporate identity designs of major global corporations. This new emblem will now be used by PyeongChang 2018 across all its communications until the end of the Games.

IOC and POCOG sign Marketing Plan Agreement

1/30/2013 10:20:00 AM

The ceremony, which took place in Seoul, Republic of Korea, saw IOC President Jacques Rogge and POCOG President Jin Sun Kim formally sign the agreement in front of an audience of about 120 Korean dignitaries and members of the media.

Speaking at the ceremony, President Rogge said, “Today’s signing of the Marketing Plan Agreement marks the moment the local organisers truly take ownership of their promotional and financial destiny.” He continued, “You are about to embark on an exciting and rewarding journey. Many opportunities await you, as do a few challenges. But we are confident that you have everything in place to be highly successful in your endeavours. The private sector clearly plays a crucial role in delivering the Games, and the IOC will provide you with support and guidance whenever needed along the way.”

President Kim of POCOG emphasised in his remarks that the MPA would be the foundation for POCOG’s marketing activities over the coming years. He added that the signing would be the start of PyeongChang 2018’s marketing programme, as the Organising Committee endeavoured to secure national partners to support the Games.

The ceremony included a brief overview of the MPA by Lawrence Lee, Director General of POCOG’s marketing bureau, after the speeches of Presidents Rogge and Kim.

The MPA is a written agreement between the IOC and the Organising Committee, which specifies the obligations of the organisers in relation to their marketing programme. This ensures that all parties linked to PyeongChang 2018 have a clear understanding of Olympic marketing principles, protecting and preserving the image and integrity of the Olympic Movement. A strong marketing programme is particularly important, as the operational budget of Games organising committees, along with the IOC’s contribution, is primarily funded by private investment.

IOC awards broadcast rights in United Kingdom for 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games to the BBC

7/18/2012 11:55:00 AM

The BBC has acquired the broadcast rights across all media platforms, including internet and mobile.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said: “As the host of the London 2012 Olympic Games and the birthplace of many Olympic sports, the UK is a very important nation for the Olympic Movement. The BBC is a world-renowned media organisation with which we are proud to have worked for many decades, including for the upcoming Olympic Games. We are delighted that the BBC will continue as our partner beyond London 2012, providing fantastic free coverage of the Olympic Games to the widest possible audience in the UK across a variety of media platforms.”

IOC Vice President Thomas Bach, who led the negotiations, commented: “The BBC consistently does an excellent job of broadcasting the Olympic Games, so this long-term agreement is very good news for sports fans in the UK. From a commercial perspective, we adapted our traditional broadcast rights approach in Europe for the 2014-2016 cycle and beyond, and have negotiated several key European territories directly. This announcement is significant as it completes the IOC’s direct negotiations for the 2014-2016 period in Europe.”

Mark Thompson, Director-General, BBC said: "I'm delighted that the Olympic Games will continue to be broadcast exclusively on the BBC into the 2020's. It's terrific news in the days before BBC Sport begins to cover the London 2012 Games and a tribute to the enduring partnership between the BBC and the Olympic Movement".

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The 2020 Olympic Games host city vote will take place at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in September 2013.

The BBC is the broadcast partner for the London 2012 Olympic Games through the IOC’s agreement with the European Broadcasting Union: http://www.olympic.org/content/news/media-resources/manual-news/1999-2009/2004/07/06/ioc-confirms-european-tv-rights-contract/

During London 2012, the BBC will offer viewers the chance to watch every minute of every Olympic event live for the duration of the Games, with live HD streams across 24 digital channels. In total, the BBC will deliver around 2,500 hours of live sports coverage across its various platforms during the Games.

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For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org.

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PyeongChang holds meeting one year on from election

7/6/2012 9:00:00 AM

“Since bringing the Winter Games to Korea last year, we have laid the foundations and the road map for the successful hosting of the Games in accordance with our vision of transforming Gangwon Province into a winter tourism hub in East Asia,” said POCOG President Jin Sun Kim.

POCOG's announcements included information on improved venue plans, which are expected to add to the compact nature and festive mood of the Games.

“In the past year, the PyeongChang Organizing Committee has been established, a Special Act was approved to support preparation works, the ground for the Wonju-PyeongChang-Gangneung high-speed rail link was broken, and the designing of the competition venues has begun,” added President Kim.

Since its election, and following consultation with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Federations (IFs), POCOG made the decision to make some adjustments to the venue masterplan to improve the overall Games experience.

“The adjustments are inevitable in order to deliver the athlete- and Games-oriented concept that we had promised in the bid,” said the president.

One of the key changes was to the location of the Opening and Closing Ceremony. The site has moved 2km from the ski jumping venue in the Alpensia ski resort, to a proposed site in Hoenggae. Measuring 80,000 sq. m, the site will be transformed into a festive hub capable of seating 50,000 spectators and including a Medal Plaza, an exhibition hall, traditional food markets and other attractions that are expected to be popular with athletes and tourists.

POCOG has also launched a new website as a platform to communicate the progress it is making. Visit http://www.pyeongchang2018.org to access the new site.

PyeongChang 2018 quick off the blocks following successful bid process

3/22/2012 8:00:00 AM

Building on the momentum of a comprehensive bid process run by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the organisers of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games have got off to a strong start, embarking on preparations to deliver the Republic of Korea’s first Olympic Winter Games.

The IOC Coordination Commission for PyeongChang 2018, chaired by IOC Executive Board member Gunilla Lindberg, made its first inspection visit to the winter resort town this week and praised the work already undertaken by the local organisers.

“We were pleased by the high quality of presentations that were delivered by the very capable team at PyeongChang 2018, under the leadership of President Jin Sun Kim,” said Lindberg. “They have a good grasp of what is expected of them and what they need to accomplish. They have taken full advantage of the bid process to learn from the IOC and previous Olympic hosts and this is clearly reflected in their current work.”

The Commission visited PyeongChang from 20 to 22 March, with the organisers confirming that they would continue to build upon their impressive bid vision for the Games, which has a strong focus on sport, legacy and sustainability. In addition, the structure of the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (POCOG) is quickly taking shape, with the key roles already filled.

The Commission also got a first-hand look at the venues in the Alpensia and Gangneung coastal clusters. Six of the sites already exist and a clear construction schedule has been established for the others - indeed, the construction of the Olympic Village in Gangneung has already begun. All the venues are being developed with a view to providing optimal competition and training conditions for the athletes at Games time.

The strong support for the Games and the integration of the Korean authorities, at all levels of government, was underlined once again by their presence during the visit and the work carried out last year to pass the special act in support of the Games.

“It was a rewarding inaugural meeting with the Coordination Commission under the astute leadership of Mrs Lindberg,” said POCOG President Kim. “The positive appraisals and invaluable advice will serve us well in the years to come. We would like to express our gratitude to every member of the Coordination Commission and IOC administration, and to the national and local governments, as well as the Korean Olympic Committee.”

The relationship between POCOG and the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) is also working well, with the KOC giving the Commission an overview of its project to develop its team for the 2018 Games. The development of winter sport in Korea will be a key legacy of the PyeongChang project, and many International Federations have offered their support in this regard.

POCOG also continues to work on its “Dream Programme,” which brings young people from areas of the world without a winter sports tradition to PyeongChang to practise sport on snow and ice. The programme is a legacy from PyeongChang’s bid for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and the Commission was very supportive of its long-term continuation.

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For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org.

Videos

YouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia

Photos

For an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on Flickr.

Social media

For up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

First Coordination Commission visit to PyeongChang

3/19/2012 10:00:00 AM

The IOC’s Coordination Commission for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games will visit the host city in the Republic of Korea for the first time this week (20-22 March). Under the chairmanship of Gunilla Lindberg, the Commission will meet with members of the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee (POCOG), along with representatives of the national government and local authorities.

Progress

Representing the different facets of the Olympic Movement, such as athletes, the National Olympic Committees, and the International Federations, the Coordination Commission members will hear presentations on the different elements of POCOG’s progress since its election and the PyeongChang 2018 concept. They will also have the opportunity to visit a number of the venues during their stay. Over the coming years, the Commission will help to guide POCOG, as it prepares to welcome the world’s athletes to the Republic of Korea in 2018.

The Coordination Commission

The IOC, as the guardian of the Olympic Games, assists and monitors the work of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games through the work of the Coordination Commission. The Commission visits the host city once a year until four years from the Games, when the visits become twice yearly until the Games are held. The Commission’s full meetings are supplemented by the regular visits of smaller IOC teams involving the Commission Chairman, selected members of the Commission and members of the IOC administration.

PyeongChang 2018

PyeongChang was elected as the host city for the XXIII Olympic Winter Games at the 123rd IOC Session in Durban, South Africa, on 6 July 2011. PyeongChang won the vote against the cities of Annecy (France) and Munich (Germany). PyeongChang defeated Munich and Annecy in the first round of voting, by 63 votes to 25 and 7 respectively. The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games will play host to the seven Olympic winter sports currently on the Olympic programme and will run from 9 to 25 February 2018.

Winter comes early to London

7/25/2012 4:30:00 PM

Led by their Organising Committee Presidents, Dmitry Chernyshenko and Jin Sun Kim, respectively, the two delegations showed Olympic projects at very different stages of development, with Sochi 562 days away, while PyeongChang’s Organising Committee was founded less than a year ago.

The Sochi experience

The Sochi 2014 presentation looked at a number of different areas of progress. They showed some impressive images of the advances being made in venue preparation, with events already taking place in the mountain cluster, and the coastal venues already well on their way to completion. Sochi will host 22 sports events this coming winter in order to make sure that all venues are fully tested before the Games in 2014, where 98 medal events will be held. Sochi 2014 is also focusing on the less tangible aspects of the Games, with many volunteers signing up for the Games, a small number of whom will be in London to gain experience; a very successful Cultural Olympiad, which is expected to reach one million people this year; live sites set up in 15 cities for London 2012; an Olympic Torch Relay plan that will reach all the regions of Russia and cover nine time zones; and Russia.Sochi.Park, where the Sochi delegation will help interested visitors learn about its project.

Metamorphosis

IOC Coordination Commission Chairman Jean-Claude Killy also spoke about the changes taking place on the Black Sea coast, when he said: “The metamorphosis of Sochi and its region continues. Progress is considerable and we can only be impressed by the developments made over the last 12 months. This year alone, the building sites linked to the organisation of the Games have provided work to up to 55,000 people per day! Most of the venues should be delivered on schedule, and we can say, with confidence, that the competition venues that will host the athletes participating in the Sochi Games will be extraordinary.”

One year on

Having been founded only in October last year, the PyeongChang 2018 Organising Committee (POCOG) presented the efforts that had been made in its first year of existence in order to give the 2018 project the best base possible from which to build. Despite the short time frame, POCOG has already created the structure for the Organising Committee; seen a special act established for the Games by the government; seen work start on a high-speed train track that will link Seoul and the host city; and the first steps have been taken to start building and designing the Olympic venues.

New Horizons

Commenting on PyeongChang’s project, Coordination Commission Chair Gunilla Lindberg underlined the unity behind the 2018 project: “POCOG will be able to rely on very strong support from central and regional governments, including a large number of secondees. The unity between all key stakeholders shown during the candidature has clearly materialised on the ground over the last 12 months and this is a very positive signal for PyeongChang’s Olympic project.” She concluded by congratulating POCOG for its work: “Congratulations, POCOG, on the initial steps taken over the past year - we are glad to witness the materialisation of very promising and inspiring new horizons ahead of us and ahead of you!”