In brief
On Nov. 3, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee and the sports ministry vowed total support for the 2036 Summer Olympics bid after the IOC named South Korea a potential host among seven nations. The bid now aims for a co‑hosting arrangement between North Jeolla Province and Seoul, and KSOC will accelerate talks. South Korea’s prior experience hosting the 1988 Summer Games and 2018 Winter Games underpins the bid.
South Korea’s national Olympic committee and the sports ministry pledged all‑out support for the country’s bid to host the 2036 Summer Games on Tuesday, following the International Olympic Committee’s selection of South Korea as one of seven potential host nations.
The IOC announced the shortlist on 3 November, with South Korea competing against Germany, Hungary, India, Qatar, South Africa and Turkey. South Korea’s bid centers on a co‑hosting arrangement between North Jeolla Province, which beat Seoul to become the initial candidate in February 2025, and the capital city, after the province concluded it could not meet the event’s infrastructure needs alone.
According to Yonhap, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) will help ensure that the co‑hosting talks between North Jeolla and Seoul are wrapped up as quickly as possible, in close coordination with the government, regional authorities and the IOC.
Shifting to a partnership with Seoul will allow the bid to leverage the country’s previous hosting experience, including the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul and the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang.
KSOC said it hopes to bring the 2036 Summer Olympics to South Korea “to further improve South Korean sports and create a new opportunity to spread the virtues of Olympic values, with the legacy of the 1988 Summer Games and the 2018 Winter Games at the foundation.”
Chae Hwi‑young, minister of culture, sports and tourism, has met with North Jeolla officials to discuss the logistics of the joint bid, and both parties have indicated they will present virtual talks to the IOC Future Host Commission sometime in November.
The IOC’s Executive Board will open a “strategic dialogue” with host hopefuls in March 2027, and KSOC will work to keep the bidding timeline on track.
