Jeonbuk eyes 2036 Olympics bid

[Anchor]

Jeonbuk achieved a resounding victory under the banner of balanced national development.

Reporter Jeong Hyun-sook analyzes the driving force behind this major upset.

[Report]

["Jeonbuk Province has been selected."]

Jeonbuk's victory in the competition likened to the battle of David and Goliath was possible because the justification of 'balanced national development' resonated well.

Jeonbuk captured the delegates' votes by presenting a plan to resolve the infrastructure issues, such as the severely lacking sports facilities compared to Seoul, through a coalition of local cities.

Their plan includes hosting athletics in Daegu, archery in Gwangju, and tennis in Chungnam if they secure the Olympics. This approach is expected to promote regional development and generate Olympic excitement throughout South Korea.

The fact that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) encourages decentralized hosting to reduce the financial burden on the host city also greatly benefited Jeonbuk.

Having defeated Seoul and caused a major upset, Jeonbuk is now embarking on a serious challenge to host the 2036 Olympics.

[Ryu Seung-min/Chairman of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee: "It’s now about efficiency rather than recognition. We will highlight the attractions of Jeonbuk and the cost-saving effects of decentralized hosting, and we will do our best and cooperate with Jeonbuk."]

Considering the continental distribution, Asia is likely to host in 2036, but major competitors such as India, the world's most populous country, and Qatar, backed by oil money, are formidable opponents.

Whether the 2036 Jeonju Olympics can become a reality will likely be announced at the general assembly during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics next February.

This is KBS News, Jeong Hyun-sook.