Ex-gov't official named new secretary general for PyeongChang Winter Olympics

A long-time civil servant has been named the new secretary general for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

The organizing committee for the country's first Winter Games said Monday that Yeo Hyung-koo, formerly second vice minister of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, was officially appointed as its secretary general with immediate effect. He attended a weekly staff meeting Monday morning in Seoul.

"It is a great honor to be appointed as secretary general," he said. "I feel a greater responsibility than joy for the honor since there is a lot of work to be done in order to successfully host the games in 2018. I will also endeavor to work to enhance national competitiveness and improve Korea's performance."

After the meeting, Yeo was scheduled to travel to PyeongChang, some 180 kilometers east of Seoul in Gangwon Province, for two days to tour construction sites and receive updates on the progress.

Yeo will oversee construction of competition venues and Olympic Villages, and will also handle marketing, accommodations, transport and Olympic promotion.

Yeo began his career as a public official in 1980, and most recently worked for the Land Ministry. The organizing committee said Yeo's extensive experience in government and strong leadership should help strengthen support from the local and national governments and from the public. (Yonhap)