PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics, OUR BID The 1988 Seoul Olympic Games gave our country the opportunity to experience the powerful impact of the Olympic ideals and legacies first hand. And PyeongChang’s previous two Winter Games bids served to significantly boost interest in winter sports among Koreans all across our nation, while better preparing us in our current effort. But our current bid to host the first-ever Korean Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang has afforded us with an entirely fresh perspective and a bold new vision for 2018. Our Winter Games plan is the most compact ever, with all venues accessible within 30 minutes of each other. Our city is one of enviable natural wonder, with snow-capped mountains, majestic valleys and an immaculate coastline that together provide the distinct charm and cozy character of a small village community complete with big city amenities. Our climactic conditions are perfect; with temperature, humidity, wind velocity and snow depth combining to create the ideal stage for winter competition.
And the unique spirit of our people—our Korean Heung—will serve to introduce the world to a surprising culture of friendship, celebration, warmth and hospitality largely unknown to many around the world.
Why PyeongChang 2018
The potential to grow winter sports across Asia
PyeongChang 2018 offers the potential to grow winter sports across Asia – a new, young and growing market – connecting Olympic winter sports with millions of new, young hearts and minds. 1.5 million tourists visit Korea each year to enjoy winter sports, and that number continues to increase. Winter sports are becoming more popular among the one billion Asian people living within a two-hour flight distance of PyeongChang, which is emerging as a winter sports hub in Asia.
The most compact and efficient Games Plan
PyeongChang 2018 offers the most compact and efficient games plan, with new, state-of-the-art, purpose-built and competition-tested venues. PyeongChang 2018‘s Games Plan has two clusters – the Alpensia Cluster (snow events) and the Coastal Cluster (ice events). All competition venues will be accessible within 30 minutes of each other and 90% of athletes can reach their venues within 5~10 minutes. This will ensure ideal competitive conditions for the athletes and comfortable, quick and safe access for the Olympic Family, media and winter sports fans from around the world.
A trusted partner that has kept promises made to IOC
We have kept our promises to the IOC: delivered on commitments, built new infrastructure and new venues. The Alpensia Resort – which will be center stage for the 2018 Games – is already open and seven of the proposed 13 competition venues are already developed. PyeongChang has staged the annual ‘Dream Program’ since 2004 to provide a winter sports experience to future athletes from countries where there is no winter sports season. In total, 806 future athletes from 42 countries around the world have been invited to the Dream Program and 12 of them have gone on to compete in international competitions for their country. Support from the South Korean people is very high — over 91% — and all levels of government support the bid as a “national priority.” PyeongChang presents a truly historic opportunity to open “New Horizons” for the Olympic Movement if we are to be awarded the honor of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games for the first time ever in 2018.
OUR GAME PLAN
Our bid to host the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games represents a bold new approach for the Olympic Family, most notably by placing an Olympic Winter Games outside the traditional home of European Winter Sports with easy access to the largest, fastest growing and youngest consumer marketplace in the world. But PyeongChang 2018 is an inspired choice for the IOC for a variety of reasons beyond our location and proximity to new markets. At the core of our bid is the Games Plan itself, the most compact and efficient plan, providing athletes and spectators alike with exceptional accessibility to all venues and accommodations, while also allowing the intimate character of our city to shine through. State-of-the-art venues will provide for outstanding athletic performances, while the newest, modern infrastructure will ensure the convenience and safety of all attending the games.
Finally, Korea’s sport experience, highlighted by the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games and 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan, along with our previous bids for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, positions PyeongChang to be prepared and superb hosts for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
THE ENVIRONMENT
Located 750 m above sea level, and with 84% of its territory comprised of rugged mountains, PyeongChang is truly an eco-city, enjoying air and water quality levels that surpass international standards. To preserve such superb natural environs, PyeongChang and the venue cities have been developing environmental infrastructure expansion projects aimed at conserving grade-1 water resources, vitalising ecosystems, improving biodiversity, and recycling waste materials as energy resources. Our efforts have led to PyeongChang being designated a ‘Low-Carbon Green Growth Model City’ by the National Government. And, through our bid to host the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, plans are fully in place to live up to this designation. In fact, PyeongChang 2018 fully intends to make the 2018 Games a true Green and Low-Carbon Olympics. To that end, the city will carry out four major environmental projects that have as their respective goals: controlling and neutralising greenhouse gas emissions; achieving zero discharge (through the reuse, reduction and recycling of waste materials); maintaining water quality levels at the ideal level; and restoring and improving the city’s overall ecosystem. Furthermore, all venues used for the 2018 Games will be “Green”, playing a huge role in our promise to fully deliver on an environmentally sustainable Winter Games. All new competition and non-competition venues to be built for the Winter Games will obtain certification in adherence with the building laws of the Green Building Certification Programme, adopted by Korea in 2006, while existing venues will be upgraded to low-carbon eco-friendly facilities that utilize renewable energy, reuse rainwater and wastewater, and adopt natural lighting systems.
PARALYMPIC GAMES
If given the opportunity, the PyeongChang 2018 Organizing Committee looks forward to providing those who attend the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games with a truly unique and memorable Winter Games experience. We take great pride in our efforts to offer unprecedented access for all—regardless of abilities. We recognize that one of the most important social legacies that we can develop through hosting the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is that of vastly improved and completely accessible facilities, enabling people with disabilities to enjoy our area’s wonderful features and attend and/or participate in winter paralympic sports. Beginning with the 1988 Seoul Paralympic Games, we have worked diligently to raise awareness, develop more effective social systems, and expand sports facilities for people with disabilities. These legacies have been built upon through each of our two previous Olympic bids, and have continued with PyeongChang 2018. The Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) and the Korean Paralympic Committee (KPC) are fully prepared to expand on these legacies through the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Creating the most compact Winter Games Plan ever, PyeongChang 2018 puts all athletes just 30 minutes from all Competition Venues—most within 5-10 minutes. From facilities to information, our fully accessible environment will help to guarantee world-class, athlete-focused competition throughout the Games. And our National Government stands behind the efforts, having vowed to finance 50% of the Paralympic Winter Games budget and provide human resources support at no cost in the areas of security, medical care, and customs and immigration.
Hosting the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Games would provide us with an incredible opportunity to further expand our efforts in promoting winter paralympic sports in Asia. Hosting additional paralympic sporting events, workshops and other winter sporting events will help us to provide all of our athletes with increased opportunities to realize their potential for achieving sporting excellence.
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