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Fireworks over the closing ceremonies of the Seoul Olympics, 1988

1988 Seoul Olympic Games

A collection of primary source documents about the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games drawn from the archives of the International Olympic Committee. The collection highlight the relationship between sport and politics and offer an unprecedented window into North Korea's negotiating strategies, inter-Korean relations, and the DPRK’s foreign relations at the end of the Cold War.

Fireworks over the closing ceremonies of the Seoul Olympics, 1988

Popular Documents

July 25, 1985

Interview with Fidel Castro

A portion of an interview with Fidel Castro by Mervyn Dymally, an American politician, where Castro discusses his view that the 1988 Summer Olympic games in Seoul should be a joint effort between North and South Korea.

April 19, 1986

International Olympic Committee President interview with Chun Doo-hwan on North Korean Threats to the 1988 Seoul Olympics

IOC President Samaranch speaks to South Korean President Chun Doo-Hwan. Samarach tries to persuade Chun to concede some of the sports organizing at the upcoming Summer 1988 Olympics to North Korea, as their demands have "decreased drastically." Chun fears that concessions now will lead to greater concessions in the future. Chun urges Samaranch to take control of the situation, as the IOC is well-respected. In order for the IOC to negotiate with North Korea, North Korea must declare that it will honor the Olympic Charter.

July 16, 1985

Report by International Olympic Committee Vice President on his Trip to North Korea

A report from IOC Vice President Kumar regarding his trip to North Korea. He addresses attempts to ease tensions between North Korea and South Korea over the staging of the 1988 Summer Olympics and to determine if the two countries would be able to work together on the event.

November 29, 1984

Letter from Fidel Castro to the President of the International Olympic Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch

Letter from Cuban leader Fidel Castro the President of the International Olympic Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch on the 1988 Seoul Olympics

September 30, 1985

The Proposal by the Olympic Committee of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

The proposal from North Korea's Olympic Committee laying out their desires for the staging and operation of the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. The North Korean Olympic Committee desired a sharing of the events between North and South Korea.