South Korean Olympic Leader Rejects North Korean Demand

The president of the Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee said Wednesday that although the number of Olympic events to be staged in North Korea was negotiable, the North Korean demand to be designated as co-host of the 1988 Games was out of the question.

Park Seh-Jik, who was here touring the Coliseum and other 1984 Olympic facilities, reacted to the latest North Korean proposal with an unwavering certainty that there will be no co-host for the Games.

His statements were prompted by the North Koreans’ announcement Tuesday that they have pared from eight to five the number of events they demand be held in their country.

“Our primary concern is not the number of games (sports) to be shared,” Park said. “The key is the co-hosting matter. This is strictly against the International Olympic Committee charter and 90 years of precedent.

“From a logistical point of view, it would be essentially impossible to transport the people, the athletes, the media, to and from the cities for the opening and closing ceremonies. It would be very expensive.”

Park said that negotiations with the North Koreans have been difficult. But, as the Games approach, he said the SLOOC is eager to resolve the issue of which events will be held in North Korea.

Asked if Sept. 17, which is one year from the start of the Games, would be a point beyond which negotiations would stop, Park said, “That’s a very reasonable guess. We hope that one year before the Games, we should know when and where the Games will be staged.

“This must be clarified. The latest IOC proposal is five games (sports). They expect from North Korea a simple answer, yes or no. No conditions.”

North Korea has demanded the designation as co-host of the Games, a name change from the Seoul Olympics to the Pyongyang-Seoul Olympics, their own organizing committee and a third of the television revenues.

After four rounds of negotiations, the North Koreans had trimmed their demands for events to eight, including the soccer competition. Tuesday’s announcement represents the latest in a line of proposals from the North, none of which has pleased either the IOC or the SLOOC.

South Korean officials reacted strongly Wednesday to the latest North Korean proposal.

“The North Korean offer does not deserve any comment,” an Olympic organizing official told the Reuters news agency in Seoul. I believe our side can hardly accept it.”