Part 2 - LA84 Foundation

The SLOOC com missioned a landscape
architecture designer to make a
field survey of candidate sites, and
decided to erect the monumental
structure at Sinsan Park area. The
area was high on the list of preference
for its good location with high potential
for tourism and proximity to existing
tourist attractions, including the
museum of folklore.
The SLOOC commissioned five leading
sculptors to draw the structure,
receiving five perspective drawings
and supplementary drawings in July
1987. The five drawings were brought
to a screening panel, which selected
the work by Ms. Chong Bo-won. In
December 1987 the SLOOC signed a
design contract with the Environmental
Design Institute of Kukmin University
for the designing of the structure;
the manufacture of the structure
started in February 1988.
The structure features eight granite
columns placed vertically or obliquely,
measuring one meter by one meter at
the base with height ranging from one
meter to eight meters, on a granite
base stand, 20 by 18 meters and one
meter high. In the center of the granite
stand, part of a stainless steel ball,
seven meters in base line and one
meter in height, protrudes, and next to
it are five stainless steel rings,
diameters ranging from one meter to
four meters, linked in a spiraling shape
and standing eight meters tall.
The circular form protruding on the
central part of the granite stand
symbolizes the earth, and the eight
columns symbolize the '88 Olympic
Games. The spiraling form of five
revolving rings represents the five
Olympic rings and the burning flame.
The spiraling columns commemorating
the arrival of the sacred flame
ignited at the Temple of Hera, Greece,
emphasizes the spiritual bond between
the origin of the flame and Cheju-do.
Made of stainless steel and granite,
the structure was highly commended
for its expression of the strong spirit of
athletes and of Koreans. The structure
was unveiled at 12:00 o'clock noon on
August 27, the day of the arrival of the
flame, in a ceremony attended by Cheju
province governor, chairman of the
National Assembly Culture and Information
Committee and many other leading
figures.
Olive and cypress trees were planted
around Sinsan Park. The commemorative
planting project was undertaken
from June1-15,1988; 370 olive saplings,
100 cypress saplings and 30 laurel
tree saplings were planted.
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26. Lee Goon-bo, Governor of Cheju
province, relays the Olympic torch to a
mobile cauldron.
27. On the apron of Cheju International
Airport, 81 year-old calligrapher Hyon
Chung-hwa lights the torch from a mobile
cauldron to mark the start of the Korean
leg of the relay at 11:45 a.m. on August
27.
28. A memorial sculpture erected at
San sang Park, Cheju city, to commemorate
the arrival of the Olympic flame; the
design was by sculptress Chong Bo-won.
29. The torch leaves Kongju, South
Chungchong province, bound for
Chongju, North Chungchong province on
September 8.
30. Sixth grade schoolboy Kim Sang-min
and fifth grade schoolgirl Lee Jae-hui,
jointly carried the Olympic torch on the
initial leg of the relay in Korea.