Casa Italia confirms its status as the centre of the world in the name of brotherhood and unity promoted by sport. And so the meeting point of the Italian mission in PyeongChang, after having hosted a mixed taekwondo team composed of North and South Korean athletes, today received the visit of the North Korean IOC member, Chang Ung.
Former President of the International Taekwondo Federation, Chang Ung arrived at Casa Italia together with the IOC member and representative of the International Olympic Committee at the UN, Mario Pescante (photo: Pagliaricci GMT). We are united by a friendship stretching far back in time - explained Pescante -. Before the UN sanctions, we hosted their youth soccer team in Coverciano for four years and one of those guys, Kwang Song Han currently plays in Italy. The only rude thing he did to me in Korea was to show me the monument to Pak Doo-Ik who threw us out of the World Cup in 1966. I want to thank him for his visit. So far, he has not met any foreign press representatives except those of our country ".
During his visit, Chang Ung underlined his ties with Italy and the long and deep friendship that binds him to Pescante and expressed his appreciation for the design and cuisine of the meeting point of the Italian mission in these Winter Olympic Games.
To the reporters Chang Ung went on to reiterate the importance of sport in the dialogue between the two Koreas which, at the opening ceremony of the Games, paraded together under a single flag and which are competing together in some of the Olympic sports.
“In these Games – he said - we have seen a united Korean ice hockey squad and I hope that this can be extended, because the Olympics and sport outweigh any difference between us. Sport, but also art, dance and music surpass politics".