How father of 'nutgate' Korean Air woman rescued Pyeongchang Winter Olympics
Cho Yang-ho has revived construction and enthusiasm for the 2018 Games, using corporate know-how to boost productivity
One year ago Olympic leaders looked with trepidation to the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, but one of South Korea's much-maligned tycoons, Cho Yang-ho, has come to the rescue.
Twelve months after taking charge of an organising committee notorious for hold-ups and infighting, the 66-year-old head of Hanjin Group has earned plaudits from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
YH Cho, as he calls himself, said someone had to become "the boss" at the Pocog - the Pyeongchang Olympics Organising Committee. Pocog has to get US$11 billion of venues built for the February 9, 2018, start of the biggest Winter Olympics ever. It has been a struggle.
The last year has really been a very good year. Things are moving on very quickly. The quality of the work has been praised by our experts and international federations
Gunilla Lindberg, the IOC watchdog for the Pyeongchang Games, recalled at an Olympic meeting in Kuala Lumpur how a year ago she had told of "delays and not so efficient progress".
"That was an understatement," said one head of a winter sports federation.
Venues were behind schedule, Pyeongchang was not signing up sponsors and provincial and central governments were arguing about financing. Organisers reportedly had to take out huge loans to pay bills and there were suggestions some events could be moved to Japan.
Pocog's last president resigned in July 2014. Cho had led Pyeongchang's bid committee but was reluctant to return because he leads an empire that includes Korean Air and the huge Hanjin Shipping line.