Could ISU move world figure skating tourney to Korea?

The eastern Korean city of Gangneung, Gangwon Province, could replace Tokyo as the venue for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in the wake of the earthquake in Japan.

An Associated Press article said Tuesday, "Accepting that Tokyo could not host the World Figure Skating Championships next week, the sport`s governing body (ISU) stepped up efforts Monday to find a new venue and dates for its marquee event."

Gangneung and Turin, Italy, are potential candidates to host the tournament.

The championships in Tokyo were scheduled for March 21-27 but whether they will proceed as planned remains to be seen.

ISU President Ottavio Cinquanta said, “We decided not to host the event in that period. We will decide after discussing whether we will postpone the event or call it off.”

Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na had planned to compete in the event, which would have been her first appearance at a tournament since last year`s Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Gangneung and Turin are in the running to host the event because of their facilities and the popularity of figure skating. Gangneung staged the ISU Junior World Figure Skating Championships this year and hosting the senior event would help Pyeongchang`s bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Given that Kim planned to make her season debut at the event, a successful competition would be all but guaranteed because of her overwhelming popularity in her homeland.

Turin hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics and the 2010 senior world championships.

With uncertainty looming over the championships, whether Kim’s ice show slated for Seoul in May proceeds is uncertain. All That Sports, her management agency, said, “When the ISU sets the World Figure Skating Championships schedule, we can set the date for her ice show.”

wing@donga.com