With over 15,000 athletes and officials from 200-plus countries participating, the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games will have 28 official events, including swimming, athletics, tennis, football, judo, hockey. and archery. The Sydney 2000 Games also mark the introduction of taekwondo and the triathlon as new Olympic sports.

As befits the selected motto of the Green Games, in designing the Sydney Olympics all efforts have been focused on making the best use of nature by incorporating such features as an energy-conserving translucent roof, solar-powered air-conditioning, and natural ventilation. Other environmental features include the extensive use of recycled material and various measures taken to encourage use of public transport in order to reduce air pollution for the duration of the Olympic Games. Sydney’s strong commitment to the environment has been incorporated into an integrated approach to energy and water conservation, waste management, pollution prevention, as well as the protection of nature and the ecological system. Blessed by its natural setting and scenic beauty, Sydney is often cited as one of the world’s three most-enthralling harbor cities. This alluring city is also famous for being the habitat for many extraordinary and interesting indigenous species. As we hope for a successful hosting of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, we also trust our Korean team to represent our country well.