Seoul celebrates 30th anniversary of Summer Olympic Games

SEOUL, Sept. 17 (Yonhap) — South Korea celebrated the 30th anniversary of its successful hosting of the Olympics Games at Olympic Park in Seoul on Monday.

The Seoul Olympics opened exactly 30 years ago on this date with the Olympic cauldron lit at Jamsil Olympic Stadium. According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Seoul Games featured 8,391 athletes from 159 nations, the largest-ever number of participating nations during the Cold War era.

In a pre-anniversary event at Olympic Park organized by the Korean Olympics & Sport Committee (KSOC) and Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO), officials had an unveiling ceremony for the Wall of Glory, a monument engraved with the names of 1,488 workers from the Seoul Olympics organizing committee as well as 645 South Korean athletes and a dedication message to more than 27,000 volunteers.

“I still can’t forget the atmosphere of the Olympics,” said Lee Hyung-yong, chairman of the Seoul Olympic volunteers. “When I wear this volunteer uniform, it feels like I’ve won a medal. I feel thankful that people are recognizing our efforts at the Olympics.”

Officials unveil the Wall of Glory, a monument engraved with the names of workers and athletes who participated in the Seoul Olympics, at Olympic Park in Seoul to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 1988 Olympic Games on Sept. 17, 2018. (Yonhap)

The 30th anniversary event at Olympic Parktel in Seoul was attended by hundreds of guests, including South Korea’s sports minister Do Jong-whan; Lee O-young, creative director for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1988 Olympics; International Weightlifting Federation chief Tamas Ajan; and IOC members Sergey Bubka and Pal Schmitt.

“During the 16 days of the Seoul Olympics, the indomitable spirit and enthusiastic passion of our athletes gave great inspiration and courage to the people who were wary and worn out,” Do said. “Here in Seoul, countries from the East and West came together hand in hand for the first time in 12 years, overcoming ideological confrontation.”

The ceremonial event included the showing of video clips of the 1988 Olympics and South Korean Olympic medalists honoring volunteers and those who worked for the bidding and organizing committees. There was also a performance of “Hand in Hand,” the official song of the 1988 Olympics, by former national athletes.

This photo taken on Sept. 17, 2018, shows guests attending an event commemorating the 30th anniversary of the 1988 Seoul Olympics at Olympic Parktel in Seoul. (Yonhap)