 Cho Yang-ho, third from left, chairman of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games Bid Committee, and Lee Kwang-jae, second from left, Gangwon Province governor, hold a certificate of undertaking and other related documents in Seoul, Thursday, to be submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). At right is Korean Olympic Committee President Park Yong-sung and at left is PyeongChang Mayor Lee Seok-rae. / Courtesy of PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games Committee |
By Yoon ChulThe PyeongChang Winter Games Bid Committee has completed a bid file to be submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the 2018 Winter Games.
PyeongChang answered 261 questions from the IOC in the document where it emphasizes its appropriateness as the host city given the need to spread winter sports in Asia.
It also stresses its merit in terms of the intensive location of venues and accommodation along with a convenient traffic system in the file which will be presented to the IOC by Jan. 11.
“Hosting the Winter Games in 2018 at PyeongChang will help boost winter sports in Asia by promoting participation from Asian people,“ committee chairman Cho Yang-ho said during a press meet, Thursday.
PyeongChang is equipped with facilities to help athletes perform to their maximum of their capabilities, according to Cho.
It takes less than 30 minutes from the main accommodation in Alpensia to the venues and 10 minutes between venues, he said.
Toward this end, the committee will divide the accommodation — one block in Alpensia for events on snow and the other in nearby Gangneung City for events on ice.
Athletes and fans will be able to reach the venues conveniently from around the world. Upon arrival at Incheon International Airport, they will be able to take the planned bullet train that will take them to the tentatively named Olympic Station in Alpensia at the heart of the Olympic complex.
An expressway is being expanded to avoid possible traffic congestion around the bidding city.
“A state budget has already been earmarked to install the bullet train,” Cho said.
Besides PyeongChang, Munich in Germany and Annecy in France are also bidding to host the Winter Games in 2018. PyeongChang is challenging for the third consecutive time.
“Though we failed twice we will surely keep our promise to the IOC. Based on the full support of the government we have installed new venues for events like the ski jump, biathlon and cross country and we will continue the dream program,” the Governor of Gangwon Province Lee Kwang-jae said.
The dream program is designed to invite many young people from nations which scarcely see winter sports.
The program first began in 2004, inviting 806 people from 42 countries over the past seven years. Three of them participated in the Vancouver Olympics.
Lee also stressed the domestic fans’ passion for hosting the winter festival.
In a survey 91.4 percent of Koreans and 93.4 percent of Gangwon Province residents support the bid for the 2018 Winter Games.
Among the bidding cities Munich, a strong contender, has faced a setback due to opposition from local citizens.
“We think the resistance from local citizens can’t stop Munich’s bid. But it would be better to open the Winter Games at a city where it is welcomed by the residents,” President of the Korea Olympic Committee (KOC) Park Yong-sung said.
PyeongChang has hosted over 50 international winter sports events since 1999 and it plans to hold four international events in January and February.
“We shed a lot of tears during the previous two bids. And we will likely shed tears again, this time for the opposite reason,” Lee said.
