No prayer room for visitors at 2018 Frigid climate Olympics

Gangneung, South Korea – The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has cancelled plans for a cell prayer room in Gangneung for tourists on the 2018 Frigid climate Olympics after solid opposition by anti-Muslim campaigners, the city tourism division’s chief told Al Jazeera.

Whereas just actual Zero.2 % of South Korea’s population of 51 million is Muslim, the KTO decided to manufacture a prayer room to promote a « Muslim-friendly Korea » for the length of the Frigid climate Olympics, which start on Friday and amplify the number of Muslim tourists.

But after « solid opposition » from some groups, city officials in Gangneung cancelled the plans.

« We had solid opposition from some religious groups who adversarial the set up and threatened protests for the length of the Frigid climate Olympics, » Gangneung city executive tourism division chief Kang Suk-ho told Al Jazeera.

« We sat down with them for talks, but within the tip, we had to raze the plans, » he added. 

Kang also acknowledged he did no longer question « such an low backlash from the group ». 

« We notion it might perhaps presumably per chance presumably even be tremendous to present a prayer room facility on the Gangneung area, » he outlined, in conjunction with that he notion the opposition to the opinion was as soon as « very regrettable ». 

Gangneung is dwelling to host all indoor occasions.

Lengthen in Muslim tourists

South Korea has witnessed an amplify within the number of Muslim tourists over the previous couple of years. Consistent with the KTO, a 33 % amplify was as soon as registered in 2016 compared with the year before, and the numbers reached 1.2 million by the tip of 2017.

Tapping into this financial most likely, the nation has elevated the number of Halal certificates for its eating locations and prayer rooms, and the Seoul Tourism Organization is promoting a assortment of movies showcasing Muslim-friendly eating locations across the capital. 

A KTO press launch final year confirmed one of its goals was as soon as that « the provision of skedaddle comfort must be strengthened in expose to amplify their pleasure and to wait on repeat visits ».

The Korean Muslim Federation (KMF) expressed its disappointment with the resolution, in conjunction with that the « Olympic Games must nonetheless lunge past a single nation, bustle, custom and faith to attain harmonisation ».

« This resolution demonstrates that we, as a host nation, lack thoughtful working out, » Lee Ju-hwa, a KMF consultant, told Al Jazeera in a assertion.

« In want to claiming that the set up of a prayer room is preferential treatment given to a certain faith, we must earn awareness that it was as soon as to earn about others with varied faith and beliefs, » he added. 

KTO’s Director of PR Kim Yeong-ju acknowledged it was as soon as presupposed to be a multi-faith prayer room.

On the replacement hand, the opposition group, the Pyeongchang Olympics Gangwon Citizens’ Islam Countermeasure Affiliation, launched its protests namely in opposition to Muslims who had been coming for the Frigid climate Olympics.

« If the room was as soon as for of us of all religions, why would they’ve an ablution dwelling, » the organisation’s secretary Web page positioning acknowledged.

« From what I heard from Egyptians, there are unparalleled instances when Muslims don’t pray, to illustrate when they are on a plane or utilizing. So the identical must be applied for the length of the Games.

« The manager has already spent too noteworthy of the taxpayers’ cash on the Games, and we must not use more building a prayer room. »

The organisation nonetheless more than Fifty six,000 signatures for a web petition that adversarial the set up of the prayer room.

But for some Muslims families who’re visiting South Korea for the Olympics, the resolution to forgo the prayer room might presumably per chance presumably also dwelling a dangerous precedent. 

« Whereas it will had been large to have a praying facility on the Games, the bigger panic for us is how this will also dwelling a precedent going forward, » one Muslim spectator, who requested to no longer be named, told Al Jazeera. 

« We are able to offer our prayers in some corner or abet at our lodge; I just actual hope the opposition realises what tiny it might perhaps presumably per chance attain by no longer having a prayer room set apart up, » the visitor acknowledged.