Prayer rooms dismissed at Olympics following threats by anti-Muslim groups
NKorea
Out of the total population of 51 million, Muslims account of a mere 0.2%, however, the KTO had earlier decided to build a prayer room to promote a 'Muslim-friendly Korea' during the Winter Olympics with the aim to increase the number of Muslim tourists
The Korean Tourism Organization (KTO) has decided not to provide any prayer rooms inGangneung for the 2018 Winter Olympics after receiving threats by anti-muslim campaigners, the city's tourism department's chief said on Friday.
The KTO has refuted plans of organising mobile prayer rooms following strong opposition from some groups. Out of the total population of 51 million, Muslims account fora mere 0.2%, however, the KTO had earlier decided to build a prayer room to promote a "Muslim-friendly Korea" during the Winter Olympics with the aim of increasing the number of Muslim tourists.
This goal came a step closer in early February with the opening of a cafeteria serving certified halal food to Muslim athletes competing at Pyeongchang.
Opposition from religious groups was shortly seen, who opposed the idea and threatened to carry out protests during the games which are set to begin on Friday.
Gangnueng city government tourism division chief Kang Suk-ho was quoted saying that he did not expect "such an extreme backlash from the group".
In January, the Pyeongchang Olympics Gangwon Citizens’ Islam Countermeasure Association, a newly-formed civic group, began distributing a Google form titled "Petition against the Installation of a Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Muslim Prayer Room.”
The petition included various claims, including that the people of Gangwon province are collectively opposed to Islam, and that South Korea must be wary of the religion in its radical form. As of February 8, it had gathered more than 56,000 online signatures.
Winter Olympics is already underway, PyeongChang is hosting the 2018 XXIII Olympic Winter Games. It is a major international multi-sport event which is scheduled to take place from February 9 to 25.
The 23rd Winter Olympics will feature 102 events in 15 sports and athletes from all over the world.