Vancouver Gold Medallists join Korean Air at charity event for children in Africa

Korean Air, one of the major sponsors of PyeongChang 2018, held a special charity event this weekend with Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Gold Medallists Seung-Hoon Lee and Tae-Bum Mo.

The Korean Olympic Winter Games Champions, who both won Gold at Speed Skating, helped to raise money and promote PyeongChang’s bid for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games by volunteering at a special Korean Air ‘Open Café’.

Korean Air’s ‘Open Café’ is held every month when hundreds of the airline’s staff volunteer to serve members of the public food and drink. All the earnings from the ‘Open Café’ are donated to a charity and this month all the funds raised will be donated to United Help for International Children, an organisation which helps children in Tanzania.

Korean Air’s ‘Open Café’ was held on Saturday 25 June and the Korean winter athletes worked with Korean Air staff to take food and drink orders and serve the orders to the public. They also signed autographs, took photographs with the public and handed out PyeongChang 2018 memorabilia.

Seung-Hoon Lee, Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Gold Medallist, said: "It is a great honour for me to volunteer at this Korean Air ‘Open Café. It was amazing to meet so many of the public and see their enthusiasm for PyeongChang 2018 and winter sports. I am also very pleased that the proceeds from this PyeongChang 2018 event are going to a very good cause in Africa. The Olympic spirit is alive and well, and as sportspeople we can help make the world a better place."

Muchol Shin, PyeongChang 2018 Director General of Public Relations, said: "As we look forward to the IOC Host City decision in Durban next month, it is very pleasing to see so many excited people turn up to the Korean Air ‘Open Café’ and offer their passionate support to PyeongChang 2018. This encouragement and momentum is important as we head into the final few days of the 2018 campaign.

"We are also delighted that this event is making a meaningful contribution to people who need help in a different part of the world – one of the important goals of Olympism."

For more information, contact:sjasani@verocom.co.uk

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