Korean Protestants: "2018 Pyeongchang Games thanks to us"
by Theresa Kim Hwa-young
The Protestant Church of South Korea "stands out" in civil society for the enthusiasm with which it welcomed the assigning of the Winter Olympics to Pyeongchang. According to pastors and faithful, it is the fruit of their fervent prayers and Kim Yu-na, figure skating gold medalist at the last Games. Who, however, is Catholic.
Seoul (AsiaNews) - Among South Koreans celebrating the awarding of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, some fervent Protestants stand out. They believe that the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is a direct consequence of their assiduous prayers, a kind of recognition of the power of their church. Some in South Korea, interviewed by AsiaNews, tend to understate the matter: "The Protestants are always like this. They believe that even breakfast in the morning is thanks to their evening prayers".
On July 6 the IOC chose the city of Pyeongchang, 700 meters high above sea level and about 180 km from the capital Seoul. The South Korean city’s campaign, its third after those of 2010 and 2014, had as its slogan "New Horizons", that open the world of winter sports to a territory unfamiliar with them. The Korean project was defined by the IOC evaluation commission "a very compact concept. The 13 proposed sites have met or exceeded our criteria. " It can also be considered a safe city.
The Protestants' enthusiasm is also explained by their political leader, President Lee Myung-bak. The conservative politician - much criticized for having been photographed while on his knees praying - described the award of the Games "a duty and a mission." Lee, a presbyterian of the Somang church of Seoul, is under fire for showing his faith in public: traditionally, in fact, South Korean politics is highly secular by nature.
A Protestant believer, Park, explains to AsiaNews: "We Protestants - pastors, faithful, missionaries of the sport and Korean believers - we prayed intensively for this decision. We even launched a campaign on the streets of Yeonji-dong, in the suburbs of Seoul, to invite people to pray. " Choi, another Protestant, thinks differently: "I am a good Christian, but I do not like this fanaticism."
With a compelling logic, they continued: "Korea failed to win the Games in 2014. Does this mean that we prayed badly? Or maybe the Protestants were not committed? Jesus is on the side of the weakest, he died on the cross for this. So for what must a Christian live, and pray for? ". Some local Catholics respond "Protestants are always very enthusiastic about everything. Of course it never hurts to pray, but all this noise is excessive and not good for anybody. "
Kim, a Protestant taxi driver, however is convinced of the power of prayer: "We got these Games above all thanks to Kim Yu-na, the greatest of all of us." But Kim, figure skating gold medalist at the last Games, is Catholic.
On July 6 the IOC chose the city of Pyeongchang, 700 meters high above sea level and about 180 km from the capital Seoul. The South Korean city’s campaign, its third after those of 2010 and 2014, had as its slogan "New Horizons", that open the world of winter sports to a territory unfamiliar with them. The Korean project was defined by the IOC evaluation commission "a very compact concept. The 13 proposed sites have met or exceeded our criteria. " It can also be considered a safe city.
The Protestants' enthusiasm is also explained by their political leader, President Lee Myung-bak. The conservative politician - much criticized for having been photographed while on his knees praying - described the award of the Games "a duty and a mission." Lee, a presbyterian of the Somang church of Seoul, is under fire for showing his faith in public: traditionally, in fact, South Korean politics is highly secular by nature.
A Protestant believer, Park, explains to AsiaNews: "We Protestants - pastors, faithful, missionaries of the sport and Korean believers - we prayed intensively for this decision. We even launched a campaign on the streets of Yeonji-dong, in the suburbs of Seoul, to invite people to pray. " Choi, another Protestant, thinks differently: "I am a good Christian, but I do not like this fanaticism."
With a compelling logic, they continued: "Korea failed to win the Games in 2014. Does this mean that we prayed badly? Or maybe the Protestants were not committed? Jesus is on the side of the weakest, he died on the cross for this. So for what must a Christian live, and pray for? ". Some local Catholics respond "Protestants are always very enthusiastic about everything. Of course it never hurts to pray, but all this noise is excessive and not good for anybody. "
Kim, a Protestant taxi driver, however is convinced of the power of prayer: "We got these Games above all thanks to Kim Yu-na, the greatest of all of us." But Kim, figure skating gold medalist at the last Games, is Catholic.
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