The Korea Times reports that fifty one Muju residents, including Muju Mayor Kim Se-ung, ended their 14-day trek arriving at Chunchon Gangwon Province on July 21. The march started on July 9 and passed through nine cities including Seoul. The residents argue that they have the exclusive right to bid for the 2014 Winter Games under an agreement with the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC).
Muju’s mayor said, “we began this campaign to let people know that there was an agreement specifying who will be the next bidder for the 2014 Games. It’s Muju”.
The Gangwon Province office said yesterday in a news release, “it was a strings-attached agreement. It’s not a straightforward matter to be decided by just claiming it’s their chance for 2014 since Pyeongchang did it for 2010. The issue of which city will become the candidate requires a decision by the KOC and the government. It’s not a matter to be decided by an agreement between the two provinces”.
Muju, North Cholla Province, competed with Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province for the 2010 Winter Olympic bid but on May 21, 2002 the two sides agreed to let the KOC choose a single candidate.
