Pyeongchang, a town in southern Gangwon, will host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. Pyeongchang won comfortably against Munich in Germany, which got 25 votes, and Annecy in France, which got 7 votes, by getting 63 of the 95 votes in the 123rd International Olympic Committee Session in Durban. Although Pyeongchang gained more votes than any other candidate cities in the first round of voting in bids for the 2010 and 2014 Winter Games, it lost in the second round. However, this time, Pyeongchang won in the first round of voting for the 2018 Games. I will introduce the situation in Korea after winning the Olympic bid, neighboring countries’ reaction, and the stadiums which will be completed in 2016.
After we won the Winter Olympic bid, the presentations of Ms. Theresa Rah and Yu-na Kim, which played an important role in attracting the Games, became a big issue online in Korea. They inspired Koreans who want to obtain a job with interest in learning English. Ms. Rah, who was one of eight Pyeongchang speakers, did the first and last presentation. Rah’s presentation left a deep impression with her fluent English and French. When she was a child, she lived in the U.K, Denmark, and Malaysia for 12 years because her father was a diplomat. Moreover, she has worked as an anchor on Arirang TV. Korean netizens named her “Goddess of Durban” because of her activities in Durban.
Yu-na Kim said, “Many Korean athletes traveled half way around the world just to train for their Olympic dreams. We need the new venues that Pyeongchang 2018 will bring.” Although Korea has unfavorable conditions for ice sports, her personal story about being born in Korea and becoming Winter Olympics champion in Vancouver in 2010 moved the hearts of the IOC members.
With this event, Korea is about to achieve a grand slam of the world’s top sports events. Korea held the Summer Olympics in 1988 and co-hosted the World Cup in 2002 with Japan. Also, the IAAF Athletic Championships will be held in Daegu this year. Only four nations, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, have hosted all four events. Furthermore, it is the third time that the Winter Olympic Games will be held in Asia after Sapporo in 1972 and Nagano in 1998.
Japan congratulated Korea, but they were concerned that the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games will obstruct Japan hosting the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. The Yomiuri and Tokyo newspapers said that the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games will be disadvantageous for the Tokyo Olympic Games. However, Chinese media ran pictures of Koreans celebrating. Xinhua News said, “Korea finally will host the Winter Olympic Games on the third attempt. Korea’s delegates were moved to tears.”
The Winter Olympic Games will be held in thirteen stadiums located in Pyeongchang and Gangneung from February 9 to 25, 2018. The stadiums will be divided into three zones, the Alpensia Cluster, the Coastal Cluster, and two separate stadiums (Bokwang and Jungbong). Of these, the opening and closing ceremonies will be held at the Alpensia Cluster, which will hold events like alpine skiing, ski jumping, cross-country skiing, luge, bobsleigh, and skeleton. Ice events like speed skating, short track speed skating, figure skating, and ice hockey will be held at the Coastal Cluster. All the stadiums will be located just 30 minutes from the Alpensia Cluster. It will provide convenience to athletes and visitors.
The Olympic Games increase national brand power and promote the city. The Hyundai Research Institute announced the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games will bring development over 30 years. Like the Summer Olympics in 1988 and the World Cup in 2002, the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games will be a chance to raise national prestige.
