15 Gangwon Province Delegates Visit Kim Un-yong in Protest

A couple of days ago, allegations were made that IOC vice president Kim Un-yong, who is also in the Millennium Democrat Party, botched up Pyeongchang`s efforts to host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. 15 former members of Pyeongchang`s committee in charge of the bid visited Rep. Kim`s office yesterday in protest, but Kim did not show up to work.

"We believe there will a congressional investigation into this debacle. But we have to deliver our opposition of the Gangwon Province residents. That`s why we came here," said Chun In-tack, former chairman of the committee. "If Kim had promised his support for his rival and asked for his support, we would not have lost the bid by a few votes," he added. "Kim sold his country out and the Korean people based on his own greed. His behavior itself is against the spirit of the Olympics. He does not deserve the office of IOC vice president, nor does he deserve a seat at the National Assembly. He should give up both."

Then, the members, wearing red ribbons on which "Treason" was written, chanted slogans and withdrew from Kim`s office.

Mayors and county heads of Gangwon Province issued a statement yesterday at the Province Government building, and demanded that Kim should resign from all offices immediately, and that the government take prompt action to force Kim to resign and find out the truth.

They also announced that they would organize a big rally at Yeouido Plaza on Friday to protest against Kim.

The Pyeongchang County Council also denounced Kim and demanded in a statement that "the government should hold Kim accountable."

In the meanwhile, it transpired that senior members of the Korea Taekwondo Association and the Korea Canoe Association had filed applications for rallies with the police to pressure senior Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials into pulling the strings to free Rep. Kim`s son Chung-hoon from Bulgarian jail.

According to police accounts, some of the Taekwondo Association filed a rally report with the Seongdong Police Department, which has jurisdiction over the apartment of Kim Wook, the person in charge of Korean consulates overseas. They reported that the rally would be held from June 26 to July 26.

The Canoe Association also reported on June 30 to the Gangnam Police Station that they would hold a similar rally at H apartment complex in Apgujeong-Dong, Seoul, where Deputy Minister Kim Jae-sup lives. After the threat, the Ministry succumbed and promised to do what it could to help in Chung-hoon`s release from Bulgarian authorities.

Lee Goh-bum, who chairs the Seoul Charter of the Taekwondo Association, confirmed that "we indeed filed for a rally application for the release of Kim`s son Chung-hoon. We wanted the Ministry to do something for him."

"We haven`t held any rally yet, though. And we don`t plan to. Kim is a big shot in our association. We just wanted to show our concern for his son. Nothing more, nothing less," Lee also said.

"For whatever reason it may be, it does not look appropriate for our chairman to be held in jail overseas. We wanted to ask for help from the government. That`s why we are planning the rally," said Son Joo-suk, senior member of the Canoe Association. "Now, we have received the promise from the government. So, we will not hold the rally. There`s no more point in holding it now."

The Bulgarian police arrested Chung-hoon during his trip to Bulgaria this May. He was wanted by the FBI and the Interpol for obtaining permanent residency in the U.S. through faked documentation and employment through his father`s connections in the process of hosting the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games.