Private company to promote South Korean bid
The year kicked off with big ambitions for the Asian nation, launching the '2036 Seoul Summer Olympics Bid Promotion Citizens' Committee' this week in an effort to strengthen their Games candidacy.
The country is up against some big contenders, with Germany, India and Qatar all showing strong interest in hosting the multisport events. South Korea intensified its efforts last year, with the president of the Olympic committee, Ryu Seung-min, meeting with former International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach in Lausanne to discuss key points of the bid.
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It would not be the capital —which already hosted the Summer Games in 1988— to be put forward in the official candidacy, but rather the province of North Jeolla, which will share hosting with metropolitan cities and adjacent counties, including Daegu, Gwangju, and Hongseong. Seoul, however, has agreed to host athletics, handball, tennis, gymnastics, volleyball and track races in cycling, plus some preliminary games in basketball and football should the Asian country be awarded the Games.
The capital further cemented its commitment to help win the hosting rights in its latest move to promote the Games. Launched on the 5th of January, the private organisation is led by Seung-hyun, CEO of Infac Korea. "I will pour all the passion, experience, and know-how I gained from leading Samsung TVs to global prominence and from my hands-on trade career into securing the 2036 Seoul Olympics. Together with citizens from all walks of life, we will ensure South Korea once again stands tall at the centre of the world by achieving this bid," the businessman promised.
Lee was a key figure in elevating Samsung TVs from perennial second place to world No. 1 during his tenure at Samsung Electronics. In 2008, he co-founded Infac Korea, an IT and automotive parts company, with Taiwan's Infac Electronics and has served as its CEO.
The committee has already started recruiting citizen members and plans to hold a launch ceremony, initiate a nationwide signature campaign, and consult with experts from various fields, including culture, arts, sports, science, education, and economics, to form a bid promotion team.
North Joella's planning seems to be stuck, however, with no progress shown months after it was chosen as the official region. Representative Yoon Joon-byung of the Democratic Party of Korea even criticised the 'mess' over the bid to host the Games in Jeonju on his social media accounts, pointing out that the city failed to meet IOC standards for hosting the Olympics, which require a compact stadium layout, and the Ministry of Strategy and Finance's approval requirement, which asks the local government to cover at least 40% of the total project cost.