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Roh Tae-kang, then-vice culture minister, shakes hands with North Korean vice sports minister Won Gil-woo in Kaesong before their meeting on Dec. 14, 2018. (pool photo)

After the International Olympic Committee’s selection last month of Brisbane, Australia, as its preferred host city for the 2032 Summer Olympics, Seoul submitted a proposal for co-hosting those games with Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea.

Seoul said it had given the IOC’s Future Host Commission a proposal on April 1 outlining the concept and vision for Seoul and Pyongyang co-hosting the 2032 Olympics.

Seoul also addressed the IOC’s selection on Feb. 25 of Brisbane as its preferred host for the 2032 games. “The South Korean government and Seoul city immediately expressed regrets at the decision and held consultations with the IOC, leading to the presentation of the co-hosting proposal.”

Seoul said that related government agencies — including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; the Ministry of Unification; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and the Korean Sports and Olympic Committee — had been regularly holding technical meetings at various levels (between ministers, vice-ministers and bureau chiefs) in order to implement an inter-Korean agreement to cooperate on co-hosting the 2032 Olympics. That agreement was reached by the leaders of South and North Korea in August 2018.

“IOC President Thomas Bach and the Future Host Commission have asked other cities seeking to host the games to continue deliberations since the designation of preferred host is not the final decision about which city will host the 2032 Olympics,” Seoul explained.

Seoul selected “Beyond the Line, Toward the Future,” as its Olympic vision. Its five major concepts for the Olympics are cutting costs and minimizing damage to the environment; opening up the games to everyone through co-hosting; achieving peace through an inter-Korean connection and harmony between the East and the West; delighting the world with cutting-edge technology and Korean culture; and promoting solidarity, tolerance, and respect for athletes’ human rights.

Seoul said it hadn’t been in touch with Pyongyang about submitting the co-hosting proposal.

“We’ve been preparing our proposal based on agreements that have already been reached by the South and North Korean leaders and sports ministers. The IOC is also aware of changes in inter-Korean relations, and we’re planning to discuss the content of future co-hosting proposals with the IOC,” a Seoul city official said.

“Since having the 2032 Olympics in Seoul and Pyongyang would be a national event that would create a watershed for national harmony and peace on the Korean Peninsula, we’ll keep working with the central government as we do our best to win the bid with the attitude that ‘it’s not over till it’s over,’” said Seo Jung-hyup, the acting mayor of Seoul.

By Park Tae-woo, staff reporter

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