Pyeongchang to make third bid for Winter Olympics

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SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's resort county of Pyeongchang will make
a third attempt at hosting the Winter Olympic Games, Seoul's sports governing
body said Thursday.
The Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) approved the nomination of the city as a venue
for the 2018 event at an executive board meeting by a vote of 30 to 13.
Pyeongchang, a mountainous region in Gangwon Province, about 180 kilometers east
of the capital, lost twice to Vancouver, Canada, and Sochi, Russia, in its
campaign to host the world sporting event in 2010 and 2014.
"Pyeongchang will make sure it wins this time," said Kim Jin-sun, governor of
Gangwon Province, after the meeting. "Pyeongchang won the recognition of the
international sports world and media through previous campaigns. We will not fail
to grab this chance."
During the meeting, officials from Busan, the country's second largest city,
protested Pyeongchang's bid and said it was unfair to nominate the same city
three times without giving other cities a chance to make their own bids. Busan is
hoping to host the Summer Olympics in 2020.
The KOC's decision Thursday, however, all but dashes Busan's hopes as it is
virtually impossible for the South Korean government to support two cities
hosting two international sporting events at the same time.
The preliminary campaign for the 2020 Summer Games is scheduled to begin in 2011,
after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decides the 2016 venue in October
this year.
The KOC will submit an official application for Pyeongchang's bid to the IOC by
October and then start an international campaign.
Munich, Germany, and Annecy, France, are also competing to get the berth to host
the world sporting event.
The host city for the 2018 Winter Games will be announced in Durban, South
Africa, in July 2011.
brk@yna.co.kr
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