[AG/english]Countdown to Opening Ceremony

“Set out for the Asian Games.”

Names of key figures who will play major roles in opening and closing ceremonies of the Busan Asian Games were announced on September 18. The Busan Asian Games Organizing Committee named Kim Dong-gun and Min Eun-kyung as a main host and hostess of the opening and closing ceremonies.

Kim, a 61-year-old seasoned male announcer who has played a key role in such major events as the 1997 East Asian Games and the Reunion of Separated Families in 1985, has been considered the best candidate for the historic games hosting North Korean delegation. Min, a 41-year-old female announcer, is known for her sophisticated manners and has made recurrent appearances at international events including welcoming diners held in presidential residence Chongwaedae for foreign top officials.

27-year-old Taekwondo athlete Mun Dae-sung and 27-year-old table tennis star Ryu Ji-hye, who were from Busan, will take an oath on behalf of participants. Mun is a promising player who won a gold medal in the heavyweight competition at the national championships last year, and his female counterpart Ryu has successfully distinguished herself throughout international matches including winning a bronze metal in women’s pair during the 2002 Sydney Olympics.

Gang Yu-sang, a professor at Dankuk University and 45-year-old baritone singer, will play a hero in stage musical “Beautiful Companionship,” along with globally renowned Soprano Cho Su-mi. In particular, designer Andre Kim plans to make 20 million won worth of costumes and donate them for the highlight of the opening ceremony.

Jang and Cho, who are recognized as top vocalists in the country and known to have studied together in Italy, are expected to make a beautiful ensemble.

Meantime, the historical musical is based on a love story of King Kim Suro, a founder of the ancient Gaya Dynasty who fell in love with Indian princess. It will deliver a message that Busan has been a hub of international relations in the country since thousands years ago and will increase its presence on the global stage throughout the Asian Games.