The South Korean region of Jeonbuk province has been voted through as that country’s candidate to bid for hosting rights to the Summer Olympics in 2036.
The region came out on top in a vote at the Korea Sports Council general assembly late last week, securing 49 out of 61 valid votes, easily beating the challenge from the country’s capital of Seoul.
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That submission only secured 11 votes, meaning Jeonbuk prevailed easily in what was very much a shock result.
South Korea has not hosted the Summer Olympics since 1988, when Seoul played host, although the city of Pyeongchang staged the Winter games seven years ago.
In terms of other countries to have already expressed interest in hosting the 2036 games, the list features Turkey, Indonesia, India, Germany, and Chile, while other potential bidders include Qatar, Italy, and Denmark.
Media has reported that one factor behind Jeonbuk being voted through as the South Korean candidate region was its emphasis on spreading Olympic events throughout multiple cities in the province, such as Gwangju, Chungnam Hongseong, Chungbuk Cheongju, and Jeonnam Goheung.
Meanwhile, the submission from Seoul focused on using that city’s experience from putting on the 1988 Olympics, and relevant existing infrastructure, it has been reported.
The 2028 Summer Olympics will take place in Los Angeles, US, while the 2032 games are to be held in Brisbane, Australia. The International Olympic Committee is expected to elect a host for the 2036 edition after 2025.
While a joint bid between South and North Korea had once been considered a strong possibility for the 2032 edition, there is no likelihood of this taking place for the 2036 games.
Elsewhere, the German region of Bavaria intends to bid for the games in either 2036, 2040, or 2044, its interior and sports minister has unveiled.
Speaking over the weekend, Joachim Herrmann told a meeting of the German Olympic Society in Grunwald that Bavaria would put itself forward as a candidate for at least one of those three Summer Olympics.
He said: “Our goal is clear: the Olympic and Paralympic Games must return to Bavaria. I am convinced that the Games are especially important for the people of the host country, a great opportunity for athletes, but also for infrastructure, the economy, and society as a whole.”
In terms of the formal process for selecting the region in Germany that will bid to become the 2036 Olympics’ host, the country’s Olympic Sports Confederation has told interested local authorities to make their submissions by the end of May.
Aside from Bavaria, potential bidding regions also include Hamburg, Berlin (the capital), and the Rhine-Ruhr area.
Germany last hosted the Summer Olympics in 1972, in Munich, a games made infamous by the murder of 11 Israeli athletes following their aborted kidnapping by a Palestinian militant organization.
Herrmann added: “We want broad support from the population to ensure the success of the project and improve the lives of future generations … We have the infrastructure, the experience in organizing major international events, and broad public support. I believe Bavaria has a strong starting position.”
He also said, in terms of creating an Olympic hosting bid that is sustainable, “we want the games, but not at any cost.”
The interior and sports minister suggested factors behind hosting a successful games include “greatly refraining from new constructions, short distances between competition venues, prioritizing public transport, the use of renewable energy sources, and greater accessibility."
