Minister Hwang Hee Attends Beijing Winter Olympics as Government Representative (Comprehensive)

Participation in Official Events Including Opening Ceremony "Considering Attendance Customs and Korea-China Relations"

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hwang Hee will attend the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics representing our government.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 25th that Minister Hwang will depart on the 3rd of next month and participate in official events including the opening ceremony the following day. The decision was made considering four factors: ▲the role as the immediate past host country of the Winter Olympics ▲the significance of the Beijing Winter Olympics ▲the Olympic attendance customs and Korea-China relations ▲the COVID-19 situation. After President Moon Jae-in’s absence was confirmed on the 12th, several candidates were mentioned as suitable representatives, but ultimately Minister Hwang, head of the sports-related ministry, was chosen to lead the delegation.

President Moon stated on the 13th of last month during a state visit to Australia that he would not consider a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics. The government has consistently expressed hope that this Olympics, following the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, will contribute to world peace, prosperity, and inter-Korean relations as a Northeast Asian festival. China previously dispatched Han Zheng (韓正), a member of the Political Bureau Standing Committee, and Vice Premier Liu Yandong (劉延東) to the opening and closing ceremonies of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, respectively.

Minister Hwang will not only attend official events but also visit venues to cheer on our athletes. He plans to provide various supports to ensure that athletes and coaches can participate safely in the competition. He will also engage in sports diplomacy by meeting key Olympic figures. A Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official said, "He plans to request support for the successful hosting of the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics."

Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Assembly Park Byeong-seug will attend the Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony separately from the government delegation. Invited by Li Zhanshu (栗戰書), Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, he will stay in China from the 3rd to the 6th of next month and attend events such as a luncheon hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平).