Audit may have prompted 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics official to resign

A day after the executive in charge of preparations for the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics resigned, media outlets in South Korea are reporting that he may have been forced to leave by an ongoing investigation into his organizing committee’s financial dealings.

Kim Jin-sun abruptly quit as president of Pyeongchang 2018 during a staff meeting on Monday, saying the job required “more detailed planning and execution.”

Preparations have been hampered by construction delays and a lack of sponsorship deals.

A government auditor began scrutinizing the organizing committee last spring. The Korea JoongAng Daily quoted an unnamed source as saying the committee had borrowed heavily from banks to finance its operations.

Moon Dong-hoo, who was Kim’s chief aide, recently stepped down, citing health problems.

Kim denied that his subsequent resignation was connected to the investigation, saying he did not feel any outside pressure to leave.

International Olympic Committee officials have expressed confidence that South Korea can stage a successful Winter Games.