■ It would be nice to find an opportune opportunity to show off and make concessions to Japan...
In 1981, the government was struggling to figure out how to justifiably withdraw its bid to host the 1988 Olympics. Almost everyone believed that it couldn't possibly beat Nagoya, Japan, and even if it did, it wouldn't be capable of hosting the Olympics. It had already suffered international embarrassment after paying a fine for withdrawing from the 1968 Asian Games. In 1980 and 1981, the Yushin dictatorship was ending, democratization was once again in retreat, and a large-scale massacre was committed in Gwangju. The oil crisis and the foreign exchange crisis also contributed to the poor economy. In 1981, South Korea didn't know what it could do. The Chun Doo-hwan regime didn't value the success of the Olympic bid. They believed it could leverage this to their advantage in hosting the 1986 Asian Games and achieve domestic demonstration effects.

■ Pass a camel through the eye of a needle!
There was no justification for withdrawing the Olympic bid. The Chun Doo-hwan regime belatedly appointed Roh Tae-woo, then the number two in command, as Minister of Political Affairs, and Chung Ju-yung as the chairman of the bidding committee, directing them to make an all-out effort to secure the bid. However, the bidding committee that arrived in Baden-Baden was gripped by the belief that it couldn't be done. Chung Ju-yung had to lead them. Meeting with British IOC members, Chung discovered a way out. He recognized their concerns about the Japanese economy, which was then dominating the American and European markets. While Japan sent expensive watches, we sent flowers to IOC members. While Japan was complacent, believing it had won, our bidding committee campaigned man-to-man, emphasizing the Olympic spirit. Furthermore, by winning over Adidas Chairman Dassler, who had financially supported the Olympic Committee and controlled many agendas, we solidified our victory. This led to the Miracle of Baden-Baden, where Seoul defeated Nagoya to be selected as the host of the 1988 Olympics.

■ The 1988 Olympics Become the Military Regime's Key...
The Chun Doo-hwan regime, on the defensive amidst the democratization fervor, was able to formulate a brilliant exit strategy when Seoul was chosen to host the Olympics in Baden-Baden. The Olympics were held in 1988, the year after Chun Doo-hwan's term ended. The Olympics were a divine key for Chun, who bore the original sin of the Gwangju Massacre. North Korea's manipulation of the 1988 Seoul Olympics allowed the Chun Doo-hwan regime to continuously generate justifications for consolidating its power through anti-communism. The new military regime devoted all its efforts to the successful hosting of the Olympics. However, the fervor for democratization persisted. The key to the Olympics was passing from the military regime's hands to the people's hands.

■ The June 29 Declaration and the 1988 Olympics
A year before the Olympics, citizens poured into the streets demanding democratization. The eyes of the world were fixed on Seoul. At the time, 400 foreign journalists flocked to Seoul. Their question was simple: Could the 1988 Olympics actually be held? The world's attention was on the moment. The new military regime couldn't suppress the protests by force, as they had in Gwangju in 1980, using military units. It couldn't have been carried out in Seoul, a city under the global spotlight and hosting the Olympics a year later, let alone in a closed-off Gwangju. It couldn't have alienated a city while promoting anti-communist ideology. The new military regime decided on the June 29 Declaration. Had the 1988 Seoul Olympics not been held, even greater sacrifices and a longer period of time would have been required.

■ Hosting an Olympics to Unify a Semi-Divided Nation.
The 1988 Seoul Olympics attracted a large number of communist countries. It was the first global event in 12 years, a moment of global unity. The images of Seoul in 1988, broadcast around the world, were deeply shocking to the people of Eastern Europe. A divided nation, a city under military dictatorship just a year before, was not as rigid or impoverished as they had imagined. This holds profound significance. In a world divided between capitalism and communism, the Olympics held in a divided nation brought about significant reconciliation. Furthermore, internally, until the 1988 Seoul Olympics, we had never been objectively evaluated. We struggled for democracy and worked forward, focused on economic development, without being able to grasp our own position. 1988 marked the beginning of a new international order after the Cold War, and it was an opportunity for us to see ourselves through the eyes of others. This is how our globalization began.

※ This video is from [Documentary Theater - 1988 Seoul Olympics, A Divine Move], which aired on April 27, 2013.

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