PYEONGCHANG, March9, 2018 - IOC President Thomas Bach received in Seoul two honorary distinctionsfor his achievements with regard to peaceful solution for Korean peninsula.

He was given the Cheongryong Medal by South Korean PresidentMoon Jae-in at a special ceremony at the Blue House. 

In the citation, President Moon noted the IOC President’s“outstanding and meritorious services rendered towards world peace anddevelopment of sports in the Republic of Korea”.

President Bach accepted the medal - the country’s highest sportingaward – on behalf of the entire Olympic Movement. He talked of the processwhich the IOC had begun in 2014 to get the athletes from the National OlympicCommittee of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the Olympic WinterGames. He also revealed that the negotiations concerning the joint marchof both teams behind the Korean unification flag could only be successfullyconcluded just four hours before the start of the Opening Ceremony.

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President Bach also praised PresidentMoon for his “essential role in making these Games such a success” and for his“unwavering faith in the Olympic spirit and in [his] belief in the unifyingpower of the Olympic Games”. He congratulated him for the great progressalready being made in the political talks and expressed the hope that they willfinally lead to a peaceful solution for the Korean peninsula.

Earlier, President Bach was made an honorary citizen ofSeoul. Praising the actions of the IOC, the Mayor of Seoul said: “To allowthe joint march and other joint activities of the two teams from the North andthe South, these IOC initiatives already made a great contribution to ease thetension on the Korean peninsula.” Addressing President Bach, he said: “You arethe true creator of peace on the Korean peninsula.”

Tomorrow, President Bach will be in PyeongChang for the OpeningCeremony of the Paralympic Winter Games.