Part 2 - LA84 Foundation

16. Reception and Protocol
16.1
Reception of Official
Participants
16.1.1
Basic Preparations
—————————————–
Goals and Guidelines
With respect to reception, the SLOOC
set a goal of providing the fullest possible
convenience to incoming and
outgoing VIPs and Olympic Family
members in dealing with their arrival
and departure procedures, of reducing
the time they needed to spend at
airports and harbors through quick
processing procedures, and of creating
a convivial greeting and sending-off
atmosphere.
For this purpose, the SLOOC established
basic guidelines calling for
1) the utilization of specialized personnel
of airport and harbor management
organizations, 2) acquisition of support
personnel with a deep sense of responsibility,
including support and temporary
personnel, working on 24hour
rota system, 3) organization of
reception personnel chiefly among
those recommended by the Ministry of
Sports, the Seoul city government,
Korean Olympic Committee, and sports
federations, 4) establishment of a
cooperative system with agencies
based in airports and harbors, 5) use
of VIP room for incoming and outgoing
VIPs, and establishment and operation
of lounges, and 6) separate formulation
and implementation of a reception
plan on the part of Pusan Office.
The places of reception as designated
by the SLOOC included Kimpo International
Airport, Seoul Airport, Kimhae
Airport, Cheju Airport, Inchon Harbor
and Pusan Harbor; Kimpo Airport's
two international terminals and domestic
terminal were used.
The organizations related to the reception
procedures included the SLOOC,
the Kimpo International Airport
Authority, Korea Maritime and Port
Administration, and the Ministry of
National Defense. These organizations
had the following responsibilities:
Responsibilities of each Organization
—————————————–
The SLOOC
• Overall responsibility for reception
• Supply of support human resources,
materials, computers and funding
• Exclusive responsibility for the reception
of VIPs arriving at airports
• Operation of an integrated situation room
to handle reception affairs
International Airport Authority
• Organization, operation of and support
for airport reception teams
• Exclusive responsibility of reception for
Olympic Family members (exclusive of
VIPs) arriving at airports
• Support for VIP reception with respect to
human resources and facilities
• Support with respect to facilities and
communications for reception
Korea Maritime and Port Administration
• Organization and operation of maritime
reception team, and maintenance of
situation
• Exclusive responsibility for reception of
Olympic Family members arriving via
port
• Support for reception center and communications
facilities
Ministry of National Defense
• Reception of VIPs and Olympic Family
members entering the country via Seoul
Airport, general support and maintenance
Implementation
The Reception Operation Headquarters,
headed by president of the Korea
International Airport Authority, was
organized on October 28,1987, heralding
the full-dress readiness for
reception affairs. During the early
stage of planning, difficulties surfaced
with respect to determining the scope
and range of the reception such as the
projection of arrivals and departures,
because of the uncertainty regarding
the participation of East European
countries and the inter-Korean
sports talks.
In November 1987, a detailed operation
plan involving the Reception Operation
Headquarters was worked out,
and in December measures concerning
the simplification of immigration
procedures were finalized.
In January 1988, a working session
was held among relevant officials of
the Kimpo Airport Authority concerning
the enforcement of the detailed
operation plan of the Reception Operation
Headquarters, while the Headquarters
operation personnel above
the rank of manager made field surveys
and interviews with related people
in a move to gather data for operations.
In April 1988, the SLOOC held consultations
with the Ministry of National
Defense on the use of the Seoul Airport,
a military airport, setting guidelines
for the use which called for the
takeoff and landing of only exclusive
Olympic Family flights which were
expected to number 140.
In May 1988, guide brochures on
arrival and departure procedures, and
buttons to identify incoming persons
were forwarded to NOCs. On June
1,1988, the Reception Operation Headquarters
went into practical operation
and beginning on June 20, on-site
adaptation education was conducted
for its staff. Reception personnel faithfully
performed their duties until the
Headquarters was deactivated on
October 7.
16.1.2
Reception Preparations
—————————————–
Organization of Reception
Operation Headquarters
The Reception Operation Headquarters,
which was actually responsible
for the overall reception affairs, was
organized jointly among personnel of
agencies regularly based in airports
and harbors, and SLOOC staff members.
Under the control of the Headquarters
superintendent and secretary
general were the Reception Support
Unit, Airport Reception Unit and
Harbor Reception Unit; under the wing
of each unit were reception support
director, VIP reception director, Olympic
Center protocol director, airport
reception director, yachting center support
director, port reception director,
nine managers, and 39 officers. A situation
room was separately organized,
comprised of two managers and five
officers.
The operation of the Reception Support
Unit was under the responsibility of
the SLOOC; the unit was responsible
for the support for human resources,
materials and budgeting, operation of
Seoul Airport reception desk and VIPs
reception, and the maintenance of
cooperation with transportation,
accreditation and other related operations.
Under the supervision of the
Kimpo International Airport Authority,
the Airport Reception Unit was responsible
for the operation of the reception
desks at Kimpo Airport's terminals,
Kimhae Airport, and Cheju Airport.
Under the supervision of the Korea
Maritime and Port Administration, the
Harbor Reception Unit was responsible
for the operation of the reception
desks at Inchon and Pusan Harbors.
The Reception Operation Headquarters
was manned by 648 personnel,
including 27 SLOOC staff members,
344 volunteers, 142 support personnel,
and 135 temporary employees.
Also involved in the reception affairs
were 232 transportation support personnel,126
accreditation operation
personnel, 23 yachting center personnel,
and 34 contract personnel.
Projection of persons eligible for
reception procedures
The projection concerning the number
of participating countries, the number
of athletes and officials, and the ports
of entry and departure was essential to
reception and protocol affairs in terms
of acquiring adequate facilities and
human resources.
The SLOOC worked out the projection
in terms of reception by category, the
number of arrivals and departures by
day, operation of chartered flights and
exclusive flights, and the arrivals and
departures by point. The data used to
work out the projection of the number
of persons eligible for the reception
included the accreditation forms, participation
forms and accommodation
forms received by the Accreditation
Department, Protocol Department,
Competition Coordinator Room, Olympic
Village Department, Press Village
Department, International Department,
Press and Public Relations Depart-
ment, Broadcast Support Department,
and Culture and Arts Department. The
data were processed by computers to
provide for a systematic execution of
reception affairs.
The number of those eligible for reception
was projected by category. The
number of arrivals and departures by
day, and the number of arrivals and
departures by point were then
calculated.
The projected number of those eligible
for reception came to 36,786, including
6,488 Koreans and 30,298 foreigners.
The number of arrivals was projected
at 28,318 persons.
The projected flight schedules of chartered
and exclusive flights and the persons
involved were: 21 exclusive flights
for 212 heads of state and prime
ministers; chartered flights involving
23 countries which fielded more than
100 athletes and officials each. Of the
projected chartered flights, 45 flights
with 4,690 persons would come from
16 countries which had established no
air routes to Seoul, while seven countries
which have established air routes
to Seoul would operate one flight each
to transport 1,300 persons in total.
Also involved in the projections were
2,874 broadcast personnel using 15
flights, and 28 chartered flights to ferry
horses.
Arrival and departure guide
brochure, and identity
The SLOOC sent arrival in-processing
guidelines to all members of the
Olympic Family coming to Korea via
1. Athletes and officials arriving to a warm
welcome at Seoul's Kimpo Airport.
1