Kim Jin Sun said that Samsung, one of the Olympics' biggest sponsors, and Lee were desperate for the Games to be awarded to Pyeongchang after two previous attempts narrowly failed.

Lee was controversially reinstated as a member of the IOC here on Sunday despite being found guilty in July 2008 of failing to pay $39 million (£24 million) in taxes, following allegations he hid money in accounts held under the names of aides, which led to him being fined 110 billion won (£58 million), a South Korean record, and given a three-year suspended prison sentence.

Kim told the latest edition of Korea IT Times: "Samsung is in full swing behind the bid and Lee Kun-hee, the former President of the Samsung Group, has joined us in trying to win the Games.

"He has already left for Vancouver [for the Winter Olympics].

"He has promised to make a strenuous effort to bring the 2018 Winter Olympics to Pyeongchang.

"Thus, Samsung has a vested interest in [South Korea] hosting the Olympics and he is preparing the group.

"Samsung has developed thanks to the Olympics.

"Since they started sponsoring the Olympics [at the 1998 Games in Nagano]  their brand value has jumped by five times and their global cell market share has also increased by nearly six times.

"Furthermore, they were able to break away from their branded image of 'home appliance manufacturer' to cutting-edge global brand and the top manufacturer of electronics."

Kim (pictured) claimed that Pyeongchang deserved the Games more than rivals Annecy and Munich because it had supported the Olympic Movement so enthusiastically.



He said: "Among these competing countries, Pyeongchang has the most stadiums, in which every stadiums takes within half an hour from Alpensia stadium and we have persistently practiced the 'Dream Programme' that supported the IOC in its endeavours for the Olympic Movement and for the record, 806 youths from 42 countries have participated in the programme during the past seven years."

Pyeongchang also claims that more than 90 per cent of the country supports the bid and that if they are chosen to host the Games it would help united South and North Korea.

Kim said: "We use the Olympics to ease the tension between North Korea, contributing peace between the two Koreas."

The IOC is due to announce the host city at its Session in Durban on July 6, 2011.

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