Bio:
Dr. Cho Young-teck is leading the organisational preparations for Gwangju’s hosting of the 18th FINA World Championships in 2019, bringing to the role a wealth of experience in governmental and administrative affairs.
Dr. Cho started his governmental career as Director of Agricultural Policy Division of the Juollanamdo Province in 1978, becoming County Governor of the Jangseong Gun County in the same Province seven years later. Having turned his attention to national government, becoming the Head of many different divisions in the Ministry of Home Affairs from 1986-1991, Dr. Cho became Mayor of of Uijeongbu (1992), and later Gunpo (1995), two cities with a combined population of almost 750,000.
Following these experiences, Dr. Cho became Bureau Director of Local Autonomy Administration, supporting the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs. In 2002, he was appointed Vice Minister in the same department, before becoming Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination in 2005. In 2008, Dr. Cho became a member of the National Assembly, becoming a Member of the Special Committee on Budget and Accounts and, notably, Secretary of the International Sports Event Support Committee. Dr. Cho received his Doctorate for Administrative Studies in 2008.
“As the Vice President and the Secretary General of the Organizing Committee of the 18th FINA World Championships Gwangju 2019, I am responsible for the successful delivery of the next year’s Championships.
The FINA Aquatics Convention, the largest event in the world of aquatics, serves as a platform to gather more than 1,200 delegates from 400 organizations, 209 national swimming federations and more than 300 international head coaches.
Therefore, it is a very good opportunity to promote the host city, Gwangju, and the 18th version of the FINA Championships. But more importantly, it is expected that a series of meetings with many experts and intellectuals in aquatic sports will provide me new insights. They will enlighten me on how momentous hosting a Championships is to the host cities, and what the host cities should do upon the closing of the Championships in order not to be left as a one-off event.”