The Olympics have killed off business for dozens of South Korean companies who rely on ski and snowboard rentals during the winter. They only have five months a year to make a living, but with Olympic preparation and ski hills getting closed to public access, their business has disappeared. They've asked for compensation or an apology from Olympic organizers, but have gotten neither.
Just days from now, thousands of tourists will descend on this South Korean ski resort, to watch the best in the world compete. But they won't get to the hill, without seeing this!
Local business owners claim, the Olympics is killing them!
You can't miss their banners, hung on all over town in Korean and English.
Business owners here, normally rent skis and snowboards to tourists.
But claimed two years of Olympic construction, slowly drove people away.
And two weeks ago, the organizing committee shut down the hill to all.
But, Olympic athletes effectively ending the rental season.
"Chung Lim" who once imagined the games would be a financial windfall,
says he wants to support them, but can't.
"We desperately want to get helped", he says.
"This is the only way of doing it, because no one is listening to us.
That's why we're out on the road."
Inside their makeshift protest tent, "Jin Chun Youn" listens to the others.
The irony of all this, perhaps the thickest for him.
When Korea last hosted the games in 1988,
he was a nationally ranked judo athlete in grade 9,
among those chosen to carry the flame in the torch relay.
"What's normally here?"
30 years later, he shows us his rental shop.
He says, he usually has a waiting list for lessons this time of year.
HUH?!
"It's embarrassing to show you now!", he says.
Telling us, he hasn't touched anything since the last day of business.
What's the point, he reasons.
He had 10 employees, most of them ski instructors.
Only two are left to help run a space, he's converted into a coffee shop.
Business is slow.
"I was just thinking the other day, he says,
how proud my parents were that I carried the flame.
Now Korea has the Olympics again here, in Pyeongchang where I live.
And I think, what am I doing protesting?!
But I need to survive. I need to protest.
What's happening?"
Then he tells us, his father died a month ago.
Some moments need no translation!
"Can you confirm that no compensation has been offered?
If that's the case, why not?! "
"There are ups and downs of hosting the games",
the president of the organizing committee tells me.
He confirms he's seen the protests,
and he's aware those converging on Pyeongchang are seeing it too.
"We would like to apologize for the inconvenience", he concludes.
"I think this can be resolved before the games start,
and so they get an apology of sorts.
and maybe a hint, that compensation is coming!"
Words delivered from the warmth of a news conference,
on the other side of a security fence.
Nobody in this tent gets to hear it!
They're still busy taking rotating shifts at their protest,
watching the Olympics get underway, from the other side of the street.
@ Diana Swain
Just days from now, thousands of tourists will descend on this South Korean ski resort, to watch the best in the world compete. But they won't get to the hill, without seeing this!
Local business owners claim, the Olympics is killing them!
You can't miss their banners, hung on all over town in Korean and English.
Business owners here, normally rent skis and snowboards to tourists.
But claimed two years of Olympic construction, slowly drove people away.
And two weeks ago, the organizing committee shut down the hill to all.
But, Olympic athletes effectively ending the rental season.
"Chung Lim" who once imagined the games would be a financial windfall,
says he wants to support them, but can't.
"We desperately want to get helped", he says.
"This is the only way of doing it, because no one is listening to us.
That's why we're out on the road."
Inside their makeshift protest tent, "Jin Chun Youn" listens to the others.
The irony of all this, perhaps the thickest for him.
When Korea last hosted the games in 1988,
he was a nationally ranked judo athlete in grade 9,
among those chosen to carry the flame in the torch relay.
"What's normally here?"
30 years later, he shows us his rental shop.
He says, he usually has a waiting list for lessons this time of year.
HUH?!
"It's embarrassing to show you now!", he says.
Telling us, he hasn't touched anything since the last day of business.
What's the point, he reasons.
He had 10 employees, most of them ski instructors.
Only two are left to help run a space, he's converted into a coffee shop.
Business is slow.
"I was just thinking the other day, he says,
how proud my parents were that I carried the flame.
Now Korea has the Olympics again here, in Pyeongchang where I live.
And I think, what am I doing protesting?!
But I need to survive. I need to protest.
What's happening?"
Then he tells us, his father died a month ago.
Some moments need no translation!
"Can you confirm that no compensation has been offered?
If that's the case, why not?! "
"There are ups and downs of hosting the games",
the president of the organizing committee tells me.
He confirms he's seen the protests,
and he's aware those converging on Pyeongchang are seeing it too.
"We would like to apologize for the inconvenience", he concludes.
"I think this can be resolved before the games start,
and so they get an apology of sorts.
and maybe a hint, that compensation is coming!"
Words delivered from the warmth of a news conference,
on the other side of a security fence.
Nobody in this tent gets to hear it!
They're still busy taking rotating shifts at their protest,
watching the Olympics get underway, from the other side of the street.
@ Diana Swain
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