Part 2 - LA84 Foundation

15. Seoul Olympic Youth Camp
472
Sports competitions
The Operation Headquarters provided
each camp participant with 10 tickets
for various sporting events, and operated
a ticket exchange booth in the
camp precincts so that participants
could exchange tickets depending
upon their individual preference.
When the participants observed
specific sports in groups, transportation
was furnished to them in consultation
with the Transportation Officer. The
opportunity to observe the yachting in
Pusan was given only to those who
joined a tour of the Kyongju area.
When lunch or dinner had to be taken
while attending competitions, food
boxes were offered to each participant
with one day's advance notice to the
Food Services Officer. For the convenience
of the participants observing
sporting events, interpreters and
guides were made available when
necessary.
The tickets for sporting events distributed
to camp participants totaled
10,250, which included 1,300 for
basketball, 815 for volleyball, 740 for
boxing, 700 for tennis, 580 each for
soccer and table tennis, 480 each for
competitive swimming and diving, and
450 for track and field events.
Cultural events
A number of cultural events were
staged during the Seoul Olympics
period, which included various commemorative
events, concerts, Korean
traditional arts performances, music
festivals, film presentations and
exhibitions.
The Camp Operation Headquarters
publicized among Camp participants
mostly those events slated for September
13-15, prior to the opening of the
Olympic Games. During the three-day
period, eight major cultural events took
place in Seoul, including a Korean
original opera, "Wedding Day," staged
at the Sejong Cultural Center. The
Operation Headquarters distributed
information pamphlets and provided
other assistance to participants so
they could enjoy the events of their
own choosing.
A cumulative total of 1,051 camp participants
attended various events of
the Seoul Olympic Arts Festival.
15.3.3
Home Hospitality and
Sightseeing
—————————————–
Home hospitality
For two nights and three days, from
September 17 to 19, a total of 379 participants
from 33 countries stayed at
340 Korean homes. In March 1988, the
Operation Headquarters decided to
recommend home hospitality to promote
international goodwill on a
person-to-person basis by arranging
for foreign participants to experience
firsthand the Korean lifestyle, and for
Koreans to show hospitality to foreign
participants. In an effort to solicit host
families, the Operation Headquarters
distributed informational materials
about the program to 13 high schools
located in the vicinity of the camp site.
Host families were selected from
among the families residing within two
hours' ride from Seoul, with high
school or college students capable of
communicating in a foreign language,
and with homes located in calm
residential areas with easy access to
transportation and convenience
facilities.
In April 1988, 419 candidate families
were selected, from which 340 families
were finally chosen after securityrelated
inquiries and orientation.
The Operation Headquarters held the
first orientation for host families on
July 22, 1988, during which they were
briefed about the Seoul Olympic Youth
Camp, the home hospitality program,
necessary precautionary measures for
safety, and the Olympic Games. They
were also asked to answer a questionnaire
about these subjects. During the
second orientation held on August 26,
the families were briefed again on the
home hospitality program and the
camp schedules, as well as on necessary
emergency steps. They were also
notified of their respective guests, and
provided with small national flags of
the country to which their guests
belonged.
Home hospitality hosts and their guests
gathered at the Meeting Square on
September 17, and identified each
other by the number on their tickets.
The hosts were issued camp passes
and vehicle stickers, and were invited
to major camp performances on a priority
basis. The home hospitality program
was successfully completed, and
all the 379 participants returned to the
camp on September 19.
Home hospitality participants said that
through the program they were able to
better understand Korea's traditional
culture and the lifestyle of the
Koreans. The hosts, too, said the program
was helpful to their understanding
of the countries of their guests.
Tour of Seoul
On September 16, camp participants,
split into four groups, toured the major
landmarks of Seoul, the Korean Folk
Village and the Samsung Electronics
Co., Ltd. Distribution of participants
among the four courses was based on
the individual wishes disclosed at the
time of accreditation. Adjustment of
the number of persons by course was
made initially with Korean participants,
and the final adjustment was made at
a delegation chiefs' meeting held on
September 15. Twenty-four large buses
were used in the tour, six for each
course. Lunch boxes were provided,
and a guide and a medical specialist
were aboard each bus. Tour guidance
was made in English. A total of 619
participants took part in the tour.
Four Tour Courses
—————————————–
— First course: Camp-National Museum-
Kyongbok Palace-Secret Garden-Samsung
Electronics Co., Ltd.-Camp
— Second course: Camp-Samsung Electronics
Co., Ltd.-National Museum-
Kyongbok Palace-Secret Garden-Camp
— Third course: Camp-National Museum of
Contemporary Art-Samsung Electronics
Co., Ltd.-Korean Folk Village-Camp
— Fourth course: Camp-Korean Folk
Village-Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.-
National Museum of Contemporary
Art-Camp
Tours outside Seoul
The Operation Headquarters
organized tours outside Seoul to help
foreign participants better understand
Korea. Three-day tours were arranged,
taking two courses on September 21-23
and September 27-29. The first course
covered the Kyongju area with, its
many ancient cultural monuments and
the second course covered the Sorak
Mountain area, renowned for its
picturesque scenery.
As was the case with the tour of Seoul,
participants were allowed to choose
the course of their preference based
on tour information provided to them.
The number of participants by course
was adjusted at a delegation chiefs'
meeting, but the number per course at
a time was not to exceed 250.
Seven buses, each with 45 seats, were
used for each course, and a nurse and
a safety specialist were aboard each
bus. Tour guidance was made in English
on the bus, and in English and
French by local guides at each tourist
spot. First-rate hotels were used for
lodging. Lunch boxes were distributed
at the camp on the day of departure,
but meals were supplied during the
tour.
A placard and a serial number were
placed on each vehicle. An information
center was operated at the front desk
of the hotels where participants were
staying to help them better utilize their
free time. A total of 681 camp participants
took part in the provincial
tours.
Provincial Tour Courses
—————————————–
First Course
(Seoul-Kyongju-Pusan-Ulsan-Seoul)
• First Day
Seoul — Chupungryong Pass — Sokkuram
Grotto — Pulguksa Temple
• Second Day
Taenungwon — National Museum of
Kyongju — Pusan plant of the Kukje
Sangsa Co. — Pusan Yachting Center
• Third Day
Hyundai Motors Co. in Ulsan — Seoul
• First Day
Seoul — Hankyeryong — Naksansa
Temple
• Second Day
Sightseeing of Sorak Mountain
• Third Day
Sorak — dong — Woljongsa Temple
in Odae Mountain — Seoul