Seoul open to joint 2036 Olympic bid with North Jeolla, mayor says

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said that the city is open to jointly hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics with North Jeolla Province, but urged the province to develop a practical proposal capable of winning the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) approval.

“We are prepared to accept any joint-hosting arrangement North Jeolla may propose,” Oh said during a press conference at City Hall, Wednesday. “We have no intention of demanding changes as a condition for joining.”

This comes after North Jeolla Gov. Lee Won-taeg recently proposed jointly hosting the Games with the capital, amid worries that the province’s existing infrastructure may not be sufficient to host the large-scale global sporting event on its own. The province won Korea’s domestic nomination for the 2036 Olympics last year after securing 49 of the 61 votes.

However, Oh stressed that willingness to cooperate should not be confused with confidence that a bid would succeed, citing the logistical challenges posed by the long distance between the Seoul and North Jeolla Province. The priority, he added, is to present a cost-efficient, workable hosting plan that appeals to IOC members.

“If we jointly host the Games, traveling between Seoul and Jeonju, North Jeolla Province would take two to three hours. That raises a practical question: Would the IOC favor staging the Games with people having to travel back and forth between the two cities?” Oh said, adding that such logistical hurdles could weaken the bid’s appeal.

“For example, if we jointly host the event, where should the facilities be built? North Jeolla needs to present a detailed implementation plan addressing these questions,” he added.

In response, the North Jeolla provincial government said in a statement Wednesday that it had noted Oh’s position and would continue talks with Seoul officials to strengthen the bid’s international competitiveness.

Oh awaits appeal ruling, criticizes gov't policies

When asked about the appeal verdict scheduled for Oct. 23 in a case involving accusations that polling expenses linked to political broker Myung Tae-kyun were paid on his behalf, Oh said new evidence had been submitted to the court. In July, the court imposed a fine of 10 million won ($7,500), a penalty that would cost him his position as mayor if upheld in a final ruling.

“For now, I am humbly awaiting the outcome,” he said, apologizing to residents for being involved in the case for “whatever the reason may be.”

Oh also devoted a substantial portion of the press conference to criticizing the government under President Lee Jae Myung, particularly over what he described as the administration's failure to curb housing costs and its push to strip prosecutors of investigative powers.

He said rising home prices, “jeonse” deposits and monthly rents were squeezing household budgets and eroding public confidence in the government.

“The president’s approval ratings have been falling sharply recently. I see that as something close to a cry of desperation from the public,” Oh said. “A government that fails to keep home prices and rents affordable cannot expect favorable public evaluations.”

Oh also warned that transferring investigative powers from prosecutors to the police could weaken checks and balances, arguing that concentrating authority in one institution would leave citizens with fewer safeguards against unfair investigations and raise legitimate doubts as to whether the reform would make the lives of citizens safer.

“As Seoul mayor, my primary responsibility is to look after residents’ everyday lives. I have spoken out on these issues and made recommendations to steer things in a constructive direction, but I, too, have felt deeply powerless,” he said.