The Law Research Institute affiliated with Chonbuk National University, North Cholla Province, held a seminar in Seoul Friday to review the legal validity of a written agreement between Muju, North Cholla Province and Pyeongchang, Kangwon Province.
The 2002 agreement stipulated that prior bidding rights for the 2014 Games be given to Muju, while allowing Pyeongchang to bid for the 2010 Games.
Pyeongchang lost the 2010 bid to Vancouver but now wants to bid for the 2014 Games.
Dr. Kim Dong-hee, a law professor at Seoul National University, said the agreement has legal validity to give Muju the priority.
“The written pact signed by the vice governor of North Cholla Province and the governor of Kangwon Province has been recognized as an official agreement between the two provinces and it is not just a bilateral deal but a legal bond bearing obligation for both parties. According to their agreement, North Cholla Province has priority in bidding for the 2012 event”.
The inspection by the international ski organization on Muju’s facilities is underway, because the written agreement has a conditional stipulation that Muju must have facilities to meet internationally recognized standards set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The conflict between both cities will probably continue under the end of the year, when Korea’s Olympic committee is expected to make a final decision on the candidate city after the FIS reports on its inspections.
Korea is scheduled to apply to the IOC for the 2014 Games in February 2006.
