Give best effort for successful 2018 PyeongChang Olympics

SEOUL, July 7 (Yonhap) -- It was a dream come true for PyeongChang, a small alpine town in South Korea's Gangwon Province, to be selected as the host for the 2018 Winter Olympics in its third bid Wednesday. PyeongChang won in a landslide victory during the International Olympic Committee general meeting in the South African city of Durban, earning 63 of the 95 votes cast, defeating Munich of Germany and France's Annecy, which won 25 and seven votes each. Upon the selection of PyeongChang as the 2018 Olympics venue, President Lee Myung-bak said the victory is one for every South Korean. Lee gave the South Korean candidate a last-minute push guaranteeing the full support of the government in a speech delivered in English during PyoengChang's final bid presentation in Durban. The selection of PyeongChang is expected to be a boon to promote winter sports not only in South Korea but in Asia as a whole. It will be the third Winter Olympics to be be held in Asia following the ones in Sapporo and Naggano, both of Japan. South Korea also becomes the world's eighth country to host both the summer and winter Olympics. South Korea had its best-ever Winter Games showing at the most recent competition in Vancouver last year. It finished fifth in the gold medal standings with six golds and earned titles in figure skating and speed skating. Before competing in Vancouver, the country had only won Winter Olympic medals in short track. The country, however, showed a low profile in ski events, one of the two pillars of winter sports along with skating events, and the 2018 Olympics are expected to promote the development of those events. Facilities for skiing and bobsledding will be built, which will help develop those sports in Korea. PyeongChang Olympics will also have a tremendous impact on politics, the economy and diplomacy as the Asian Games and Summer Olympics held in South Korea in 1986 and 1988 showed. Local think tanks predict South Korea's hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics will bring in economic impoact of more than 20 trillion won (US$18.7 billion) and fuel infrastructure building and the local tourism industry. The hosting of the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang is surely good news for the entire nation as President Lee said. Now we should regain our composure and give our best effort to prepare for and make the Games a success. The preparation will cost the country a huge amount. Total investment is expected to reach US$3.5 billion, including the costs to build infrastructure such as railroads and roads. The government and organizing officials should make sure the Games are not a money-losing venture. The maintenance and utilization of games facilities after the Games end should be considered carefully. There are also concerns that the construction of facilities will damage the environment. The government, Gangwon Province and the organizing committee should join hands to make thorough preparations and protect the environment so that the PyeongChang Olympics will be recorded as the most successful Olympics.