The southwestern province garnered 49 votes to Seoul's 11 in Friday's secret ballot held by the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC), shattering expectations and positioning a regional contender to potentially host South Korea's first Summer Games since Seoul in 1988.
North Jeolla's victory hinged on its proposal for a multi-city approach, promising to distribute Olympic events across several provincial regions including Daegu city, South Jeolla province, North and South Chungcheong provinces, addressing the International Olympic Committee's emphasis on cost efficiency.
"The reality is that 88.5 percent of national sporting events in Korea are held outside the capital region," North Jeolla Governor Kim Kwan-young said during his presentation, drawing parallels to Australia's approach of rotating Olympic hosting duties among Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to promote balanced national development.
The province plans to allocate athletics competitions to Daegu city, archery and swimming to Gwangju city, gymnastics to Cheongju city, tennis to Hongseong county, and surfing events to Goheung county, creating what it describes as a coalition of regional cities.
Seoul, which successfully hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics, emphasized its established infrastructure and accommodation capacity but failed to convince voters despite these advantages, marking its second consecutive Olympic bid defeat after losing the 2032 Games to Brisbane, Australia.
Sports officials attributed North Jeolla's unexpected triumph to the province's passionate campaign and Seoul's overconfidence. Provincial representatives reportedly worked tirelessly, meeting individually with voting delegates nationwide to convey their vision, while Seoul delegated much of its presentation to staff members.
The financial feasibility of North Jeolla's Olympic ambitions remains questionable, with the province estimating costs at about 9.18 trillion won (US$6.27 billion), though actual expenses could escalate significantly as new venues and athlete villages are constructed.
International competition presents another formidable challenge, with India, Qatar, Indonesia, Turkey, Chile, and Hungary among about 10 nations already vying for the 2036 Games. Asian contenders including India and Indonesia are currently considered frontrunners by international sports analysts.
The International Olympic Committee is expected to begin formally evaluating bids after selecting a new president in March, with the selection process accelerating under new leadership beginning in June.
KSOC President Ryu Seung-min acknowledged the challenges ahead, saying that with North Jeolla's relatively low international profile, "the committee must move even more swiftly" to support the province's Olympic aspirations.
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