Note from the President of International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the President of the Olympic Committee, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

08995472+
5472 KP
454025 PCIO CH
29.06.88/17:33
LAUSANNE SUISSE/SWITZERLAND




ATTENTION MR. YU SUN KIM, PRESIDENT, NOC OF THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA
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Sjg

This is to acknowledge your telex of 27th June 1988.

Further to our many efforts in order to seek a solution to this matter, I fully agree that the question of the number and type of events and sports was to only be an element or component of any further agreement and am happy to see that our opinions are similar in this respect.

In addition, I should like to reiterate what has always been pointed out during all of our meetings, either privately or during the official meetings : there are many other elements to be considered and solved in order to reach an agreement. I have repeatedly stated that one of the most significant of such elements would be the full compliance for your side with the requirements of the free travel of all members of our Olympic family, namely the possibility for nearly 30,000 people to cross the demarcation line at Panmunjom.

I should also like to stress once more that the decision to award the games of the XXIVth Olympiad to the city of Seoul is final and cannot be questioned. I have repeated this at every meeting since nearly four years and you should be fully aware of it in your capacity of IOC member and the oath taken by you to abide by our Olympic Charter.

Consequently, as we are in agreement on all these points, I am wondering the reasons which refrain you from giving a clear answer to my last telex, instead of speaking regarding the supposed attitude of other parties which do not play any role in reaching of an agreement. As IOC member, you know that the only responsible body is the IOC, the owner of the Olympic Games.

I cannot see any difference between what we offer, that is to stage part of the games of the XXIVth Olympiad in Pyong Yang and your claim to be ‘co-host’ of the games.

Finally, I would be particularly interested to know the truth regarding the statement made by ambassador chin while in berlin at the conference on de-nuclearized zones, in which we claimed that I would never be invited to come to the DPR of Korea.

I should therefore appreciate your full and unrestricted cooperation in the long and difficult process by at least endeavouring to set out in writing which elements you consider to be unsolved in what you persist in calling the ‘co-hosting’ of the games.

Sincerely,
Juan Antonio Samaranch


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5472 KP
454025 PCIO CH
EMI.0601