[2025 Audit] North Jeolla Olympic Bid Faces 6% Accommodation Rate and No Airport... Bae Hyunjin Says "Needs Review"

"Forcing Nine-Region Dispersion Despite IOC Opposition"
Yoo Seungmin: "No Precedent for Seven-City Dispersion in Olympic History"

The plan to host the 2036 Olympics in North Jeolla Province is drawing controversy due to insufficient preparation and unrealistic proposals.

On October 27, Assemblywoman Bae Hyunjin stated during the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee audit, "North Jeolla Province's Olympic bid plan is poorly constructed and does not meet International Olympic Committee (IOC) standards," and called on the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee to conduct a comprehensive review. She pointed out, "The North Jeolla Olympic bid was included as a regional pledge when Lee Jaemyung was a presidential candidate, but it was excluded from the 123 key national tasks of the Lee Jaemyung administration." She further stated, "To prevent this project, which will require hundreds of billions of won in taxpayer money, from becoming another Jamboree incident, a feasible plan must be established first."

Assemblywoman Bae specifically criticized North Jeolla Province for insisting on the 'nine metropolitan area co-hosting plan,' which the IOC opposes. The IOC has expressed a negative stance, stating, "Excessive dispersion cannot provide athletes with a consistent experience," but North Jeolla Province reported that "the IOC did not mention it significantly." In response, Yoo Seungmin, President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, said, "The proposal to disperse the events across seven cities, as suggested by North Jeolla Province, is excessive," and added, "There has never been a case in Olympic history where the events were held across seven cities."

She also raised concerns about the actual state of preparations. According to the submitted plan, the accommodation capacity in North Jeolla Province is only 6%. The countermeasure to allocate the shortfall to cities such as Seoul and Daegu is unrealistic. Last month, the court canceled the Saemangeum Airport plan due to the risk of bird strikes, but there is no alternative plan. North Jeolla Province mentioned temporary KTX operations between Incheon Airport and Seoul Station, but KORAIL replied, "No such discussions have taken place."

Assemblywoman Bae also pointed out procedural flaws, noting that cities were selected without a preliminary feasibility study. "Seoul completed its study before the vote, but North Jeolla Province started only after being selected, and the results will not be available until February next year," she said, adding, "The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee bears significant responsibility for this lack of oversight." She continued, "The government and the committee must fully review North Jeolla Province's plan and prepare a revised proposal that meets IOC standards," emphasizing, "This national project must be pursued based on a sober evaluation, not political logic."