PyeongChang Olympics organizing committee head to be named this week: official

SEOUL, Sept. 18 (Yonhap) -- The government is expected to name this week the head of the organizing committee for the country's first Winter Olympics in 2018, an official said Sunday. The official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the list of candidates for the chief organizer of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics has been narrowed down to about 10. "I understand the decision will be made sometime this week," the official said. "Then the inaugural general assembly will be held in early October to formally name the top organizer." In July, PyeongChang, an alpine town some 180 kilometers east of Seoul in Gangwon Province, beat Munich and Annecy for the right to host the 2018 Winter Games. It will be South Korea's first Winter Olympics, with PyeongChang's third successive bid proving successful. The official predicted that among the candidates, three key officials who played a major role in the victorious bid should vie for the position. Though the list of candidates hasn't been disclosed, Cho Yang-ho, head of the bidding committee, is widely considered the most likely figure to head the organizing committee. Cho, also a chairman of Hanjin Group, served as the bidding committee chief for almost two years. His business acumen and personal skills have been credited with helping PyeongChang win over crucial swing votes. Kim Jin-sun, former Gangwon governor, may be another contender. He served as the executive director for the two earlier bids by PyeongChang and as the special ambassador for the successful bid this year. Kim is known for his extensive network in the international sports circle. Park Yong-sung, head of the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC), could also be a good fit. But a KOC official said Park prefers to stay with the KOC and prepare the South Korean delegation for the London Olympics next year. Under the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regulation, an Olympic host must form its organizing committee within five months of winning the bid. PyeongChang earlier pledged it would do so within three months. Also under the IOC rule, the organizing committee's executive officials must include an IOC member, the KOC head, a former Olympic athlete and an official from the host city.