Yoon Encourages at Paris Olympic Team Dinner: "Boldly Innovate Outdated Practices"

"Women's Archery Team Achieves Unprecedented 10 Consecutive Olympic Wins"
Team Korea Members Awarded 'National Appreciation Medals'

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee greet weightlifter Park Hye-jung, boxing coach Han Soon-chul, and sport climber Seo Chae-hyun at the "2024 Paris Olympic Team Encouragement Event" held at a hotel in Seoul on the 22nd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 22nd, "We will boldly innovate outdated practices to create a free and fair environment so that young athletes can train to their fullest potential under better conditions."

On the same day, President Yoon held a dinner with the entire 2024 Paris Olympic team at a downtown hotel, saying, "The achievement of 32 medals and 8th place overall is one of the best in history, and there are many records set by our athletes." He emphasized, "For example, the women's archery team’s 10 consecutive Olympic victories will be recorded as an unprecedented history that no country can easily break."

President Yoon also mentioned and encouraged athletes who did not win medals but gave great inspiration to the public. He said, "This summer, despite the intense heat and tropical nights, I was truly happy because of all of you," and cheered "Team Korea, fighting" to the Olympic heroes.

In particular, President Yoon awarded the 'National Appreciation Medal' to all 144 athletes and 90 coaches participating in the Paris Olympics. President Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon-hee personally presented medals to Shin Eun-cheol, the only Korean athlete who competed in the sport climbing speed event, and Coach Kim Sung-jin, who guided Seong Seung-min, the first Asian female athlete to win a bronze medal in modern pentathlon.

At the National Appreciation Medal awarding ceremony, 16 representatives?11 athletes and 5 coaches from 15 sports?received the medals on behalf of all. 'Sports legends' who have made history in previous Olympics also participated as presenters.

Jang Mi-ran, the 'weightlifting legend' and Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, awarded medals to male weightlifter Park Joo-hyo, who competed in the Paris Olympics despite a disability diagnosis, among others. Hyun Jung-hwa, the 'table tennis queen' and director of the Korea Racing Authority, presented a medal to coach Seok Eun-mi of the table tennis team.

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee are personally awarding medals to coach Kim Seong-jin, who trained speed sport climbing athlete Shin Eun-cheol and modern pentathlon bronze medalist Seong Seung-min, at the "2024 Paris Olympic Team Encouragement Event" held at a hotel in Seoul on the 22nd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The commemorative medal, proposed and designed directly by President Yoon, features the phrase "Team Korea" on the front, and on the back, the inscription reads, "You, who represented the Republic of Korea at the 2024 Paris Olympics, are a hero to us all." This inscription was personally written by President Yoon.

The medal has a diameter of 9 cm, slightly larger than the Paris Olympic medal (8.5 cm). The Presidential Office stated, "This is the first time in history that the president has presented commemorative medals to all athletes and coaches after the Olympics."

For the congratulatory performance, magician Lee Eun-gyeol performed a 'magic box' act together with table tennis bronze medalist Jeon Ji-hee, receiving great applause. At the end of the magic show, President Yoon and the First Lady expressed joy and gratitude upon receiving a surprise gift prepared by the athletes.

About 270 people attended the event, including athletes, their families, coaches, sports organization officials, staff from the Jincheon National Training Center, chefs dispatched to Paris who prepared lunch boxes, researchers from the Korea Institute of Sport Science, and police officers who conducted joint patrols locally. Also present were Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Korea Sports Council President Lee Ki-heung, Korea Archery Association President Chung Eui-sun, and Korea Table Tennis Association President Yoo Seung-min.

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee receive a torch signed by the Paris Olympic athletes and a T-shirt from table tennis player Jeon Ji-hee at the "2024 Paris Olympic Team Encouragement Event" held at a hotel in Seoul on the 22nd.
[Image source=Yonhap News]