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The logo of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games is pictured at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office building in Tokyo. (Reuters/Yonhap News)

According to the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee, 186 Korean athletes in 23 events had passed various qualifiers and earned a spot in the Tokyo Olympics as of Thursday. The number of South Korean Olympians is expected to increase to 200-210 once qualifiers are held at the end of June.

Most of these athletes are wrapping up a strenuous training regime at the Jincheon National Training Center in North Chungcheong Province.

But it’s hard to feel at ease when the situation is so volatile. Surveys show that nearly 80 percent of Japanese want the Olympic Games to be canceled and delayed, and the US recently warned its citizens not to travel to Japan.

“I feel nervous, but the games will definitely take place,” said a South Korean ballplayer in the final stages of training for the Olympics. “While I don’t have a television in my room, I see bits of pieces of the news in the cafeteria, and it fills me with dread.”

“The games have to be held. Our athletes are taking their third shot and they’ve worked so hard for this. We avoid talking to each other about Olympic news so that we don’t get discouraged,” said a coach in combat sports.

The mood at the Jincheon training camp derives from the “all or nothing” attitude toward Olympic performance that’s a product of South Korea’s athletic culture.

Success at the Olympics brings a pension, an exemption from mandatory military service, and various other advantages following retirement from sports. But failure can be crushing since athletes haven’t prepared for any other life but sports.

Athletes who represent South Korea overseas aren’t selected through the market forces of supply — the pool of athletes — and demand — slots on the national team. Instead, they’re groomed for that role through an elite athletic training system that begins at school.

Schools, educational offices, and local governments support a system of youth and national athletic competitions that create a pipeline of “athletic resources.” That leaves athletes dependent on support from the state.

In other countries, some athletes have declared they won’t compete in the Olympic Games for reasons of safety or expressed personal opposition to holding the games. In short, individual athletes are making their own decisions and taking responsibility for them. But such behavior is hard to imagine in South Korea.

To be sure, some members of the South Korean national team think that simply making it to the Olympics is meaningful and would be satisfied even if they don’t win a medal.

But for the majority of athletes and coaches, canceling the Olympics would be a nightmare because they regard the games as the culmination of all their efforts.

The Korean Sport and Olympic Committee is waiting to see what will come of talks between the Japanese Prime Minister and the head of the opposition party in early June.

For now, the IOC remains steadfast in its determination to hold the Olympic Games. IOC member Dick Pound said that, “barring Armageddon,” the games will be held.

A contingency plan is needed in case the Olympics are called off. It would be particularly important to comfort athletes who’ve dedicated 5-10 years of their lives to the goal of winning an Olympic medal. Heartfelt consolation from the Korean public would be the greatest source of comfort.

Korea’s Olympians have no option but to pour their hearts into preparing for as long as they can. We hope they’ll stay focused on finishing their training regardless of the Olympic debate raging outside the camp.

By Kim Chang-keum, staff reporter

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]