Koreas Push 2032 Olympics for IOC Consideration-Updated

(ATR) A proposal from Seoul to jointly host an Olympic Games in 2032 with South and North Korea faces long odds for success.

The first obstacle is the IOC’s designation in February that Brisbane, Australia is the preferred candidate to host 2032. The capital city of the state of Queensland will submit a set of documents next week to the IOC firming up plans to organize the Olympics.

The 2032 host city will be the first chosen by the IOC under a new format for Olympic bids that eliminates the costly and complicated international campaigns that once were part of the process. Now the IOC engages in open-ended dialogue with cities interested in bidding, allowing potential bidders to adapt plans for the Games that align with the resources available.

The IOC has named two permanent commissions to handle the ongoing bidding process, one for the Summer Olympics, another for the Winter Games. IOC member in Norway Kristin Kloster Aasen leads the Summer Commission.

The IOC says the preference for Brisbane is not a done deal, but the city has spent five years methodically building the foundations of a bid. Discussions with the IOC have been underway for more than three years now. A vote by the full IOC to confirm Brisbane could come at the IOC Session in Tokyo, just before the open of the Olympics in July.

A spokesman for the IOC did not provide any timeline for a decision for 2032 and that the process is not concluded with Brisbane.

"The Future Host Commission will report back to the IOC EB on the outcome of these discussions in due course. If all the requirements are met, the IOC EB can propose the election of the future host of the Games of XXXV Olympiad to the IOC Session. If the discussions are not successfully concluded, Brisbane 2032 will rejoin the continuous dialogue," says the IOC official.

A statement from the Seoul metropolitan government expresses disappointment over the Brisbane preference for the IOC.

"The IOC selected Australia's Brisbane as the preferred host for the 2032 Summer Olympics in a surprise move announced on Feb. 25. The South Korean government and the Seoul city immediately expressed regrets at the decision and held consultations with the IOC, leading to the presentation of the co-hosting proposal," says the city.

The government expressed hope that the IOC would continue with discussions with prospective bidders. The IOC spokesman says that will be the case.

"At the same time, the Future Host Commission will also maintain the continuous dialogue with the other interested parties, in order to further develop their excellent and promising projects, be it for the Olympic Games 2032 if the Targeted Dialogue with Brisbane 2032 and the AOC is not successful, or for the Olympic Games 2036 and other future Olympic events," says the IOC spokesman.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean President Kim Jong-un agreed in 2018 to work together to develop plans for a 2032 bid.

The Seoul metropolitan government says it has sent a five-point proposal to the IOC that stresses reduced costs, sustainability, technology and culture. The proposal, titled "Beyond the Line, Toward the Future", includes discussion of the impact the joint hosting would make towards global peace.

Reported by Ed Hula.