A domestic battle is heating up in South Korea among regions hoping to stage the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Korean Sports and Olympic Committee (KSOC) has set a Tuesday (November 12) deadline for those cities or regions, aiming to stage the Summer Games in the nation for the first time since 1988, to submit letters of intent. The KSOC expects to select a candidate in January 2025, according to The Korea Times.
Korea’s Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will need to approve the proposal before a further letter of intent is sent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the KSOC can join the continuous dialogue of the bid process.
South Korea would then join at least 10 other regions that are already pursuing bids to host a future Olympics. These include Istanbul in Türkiye, India, Indonesia, Santiago in Chile, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Egypt and South Africa are positioning for either 2036 or 2040 in their attempts to be the first-ever African hosts. Germany, UK and Poland have expressed interest in bidding for the 2040 Games. Other nations could also be in the mix but the IOC, as a policy, does not publish the names of bidders for future events.
Seoul was in the running for the 2032 Games until the IOC unexpectedly pre-empted an emerging race by naming Brisbane the sole candidate for targeted dialogue. The Australian city was elected in 2021, much to the ire of other nations that felt snubbed by the decision. The South Korean capital immediately pivoted to a 2036 bid and has submitted a LOI to the KSOC.
In accordance with the IOC’s new sustainability guidelines, Seoul is looking to stage events across a larger region to leverage existing venues instead of building new facilities. Partners could include Busan, Incheon and Gangwon, the host province for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics and 2024 Winter Youth Olympics.
Left out is North Jeolla Province, triggering its government to declare its own bid on Thursday, readying a LOI in time for next week’s deadline. But the Province’s real intent is to partner with Seoul’s project by utilizing the west coast Saemangeum tidal flat, the Jeonju World Cup Stadium and the Muju Taekwondowon.
“If we co-host with Seoul, the province could host more than 10 events, including taekwondo and water sports,” an unnamed North Jeolla government official told The Korea Times.
“We will first submit our bid independently to the KSOC and explore co-hosting options with Seoul through further discussions.”
But Seoul officials are pushing back on the co-hosting plan saying such a project is “unprecedented”.
“We also believe the eco-friendly approach proposed by the province doesn’t align with the scale and requirements of the Olympics,” a source explained.
North Jeolla Province governor Kim Kwan-young said he’s ready to bid alone of necessary, bringing together the provinces resources and capabilities to realize a future-oriented Olympics that combines tradition and innovation.
Plans include using 22 existing venues and adding 11 temporary low-carbon wooden structures. Major stadiums will be limited to an average of 33 km apart to keep a compact footprint.
The Olympic Stadium will be an extension of the Jeonju World Cup Stadium and transportation improvement will be made to connect the stadium, Athletes’ Village and main press center.
The governor expects the Games budget to be 10.2905 trillion won (USD $7.38 billion) and to create an economic return of 42 trillion won (USD $30 billion).
Kim said “we have been preparing to host the Olympics for the past year and a half.”
“I think North Jeolla Province’s current capabilities are much greater than Seoul’s in 1988.”
Any bid by South Korea could be jeopardized if a current rift between the KSOC and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism isn’t resolved quickly. According to a FT Sport report the IOC is looking into autonomy issues impacting the KSOC. The IOC Charter demands National Olympic Committees organize without government interference.
According to reports, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon has expressed his opposition to KSOC Chairman Lee Ki-heung’s possible run at a third term consecutive term. If the government continues to interfere, the IOC could sanction the KSOC, which could include a suspension. The election is scheduled January 25.
There is no set timeline for the election of a 2036 host but announcements are not expected before a new IOC president is inaugurated next June 23, replacing current chief Thomas Bach. Future Host Commission chair Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović recently said that a bid would not be elected until 2026 or 2027.
