Gov't vows support for Korean Summer Games bid
Summary
The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee and the sports ministry pledged support for South Korea’s 2036 Summer Olympics bid on Tuesday. The International Olympic Committee named South Korea among seven potential hosts, alongside Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, South Africa and Turkey. North Jeolla Province, selected as Korea’s candidate in February 2025, is seeking to co-host with Seoul after citing inadequate infrastructure. The candidates are due to present virtually to the IOC Future Host Commission in November, with strategic dialogue set to begin in March 2027.
Key Facts
- North Jeolla Province beat Seoul to become South Korea’s candidate in February 2025.
- The province cited insufficient accommodations, transportation and venues as reasons it could not host the Games alone.
- The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee said it would help North Jeolla and Seoul conclude co-hosting talks as quickly as possible.
- South Korea hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul and the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.
- Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Chae Hwi-young met North Jeolla Gov. Lee Won-taeg on Tuesday to discuss the bid.
Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Chae Hwi-young, right, poses with North Jeolla Gov. Lee Won-taeg at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
The national Olympic committee and the sports ministry both vowed their all-out support for the country's bid to host the 2036 Summer Games on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) finalized seven countries as potential hosts of the 2036 Summer Olympics, with South Korea up against Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, South Africa and Turkey.
For Korea, North Jeolla Province beat out Seoul to become the country's candidate in February 2025, but has since shifted toward co-hosting with the capital city, after concluding that it did not have adequate infrastructure, including accommodations, transportation and venues, to host the event on its own.
The candidates will give virtual presentations to the IOC Future Host Commission sometime in November, and in March 2027, the IOC's Executive Board will open "strategic dialogue" with the host hopefuls.
With the timeline set, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) said it will help ensure co-hosting talks between North Jeolla and Seoul will be wrapped up as quickly as possible.
South Korea previously hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul and the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.
"We hope to bring the 2036 Summer Olympics to South Korea to further improve South Korean sports and create a new opportunity to spread the virtues of Olympic values, with the legacy of the 1988 Summer Games and the 2018 Winter Games at the foundation," the KSOC said, "As the national Olympic committee, we will remain in close coordination with the government and relevant regional authorities, and also with the IOC, to ensure a successful Olympic bid."
Chae Hwi-young, minister of culture, sports and tourism, met with North Jeolla Gov. Lee Won-taeg on Tuesday to discuss the bidding process, the ministry said.
"Since Seoul has expressed its willingness to co-host the Olympics, the two sides must reach an agreement quickly," Chae said.
"Once North Jeolla and Seoul come to an agreement, then both the ministry and the KSOC will provide all the necessary support going forward."
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