Provinces Building to Win Olympic Bid

Facilities for the Winter Olympic Games will be constructed primarily in Pyeongchang and Gangneung in Gangwon Province in an effort to win the bid for the 2014 Winter Games.

Kim Jin-sun, governor of Gangwon Province and executive president of the 2014 Pyeongchang Olympic Winter Games Bid Committee (POBICO), announced at a press conference in his office on September 11 that the initial plan was for winter games facilities scattered from Wonju to Hoengseong, but now the new project is concentrating the facilities mainly in Pyeongchang, a host city, and Gangneung.

According to the new plan, two ice hockey stadiums, originally scheduled for Wonju, will be built in Gangneung; the half-pipe and cross-country skiing stadiums at Sungwoo Resort in Hoengseong County will be relocated to Phoenix Park in Pyeongchang; and major events will be held at Yongpyong Resort in Pyeongchang. Luge and bobsled facilities in Sungwoo Resort will be relocated to Hoenggye in Pyeongchang while downhill skiing competitions will be held in the original location, Jeongseon County -- the only and best place for the games in Korea.

The new plan will shorten travel distance in the Olympic venue from 134 km to 82 km, similar to that of other competitors -- Salzburg of Austria (77 km) and Soci in Russia (82 km). Also, the travel time between sites would be reduced to 30 minutes (37 km to 45 km) by car, shorter than that of other cities (56 km to 68 km).

The POBICO will submit the revised plan to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) by January 10, 2007.

Governor Kim said, “International sports experts point out the widespread sites as the weakest point of Pyeongchang, which is bidding for the Winter Olympic Games for the second time. I ask the residents of Wonju and Hoengseong to cooperate for this plan.”

Kim Gi-yeol, mayor of Wonju, replied to Governor Kim, “Wonju will be willing to help Pyeongchang to win the bid. Even though there are some inconveniences the residents should bear, they will fully cooperate. Also, Gangwon Province has pledged to take measures to minimize the citizens’ inconveniences.”

Han Kyu-ho, mayor of Hoengseong, also accepted the new plan saying that since winning the bid for 2014 Olympic Games is necessary for development of the area, the citizens would be happy to cooperate for the bid.

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