Seoul mayor says he would accept North Jeolla proposal to co-host 2036 Olympics

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said at a press conference in Seoul on October 7 that he would accept a proposal from North Jeolla Province to co-host the 2036 Summer Olympics. His statement gives the province an opening to pursue a joint bid with the capital, but Oh said North Jeolla has yet to present a practical proposal on which Seoul could take a detailed position.

‘Whatever form of proposal North Jeolla may make, it would essentially amount to co-hosting. I intend to accept it,’ Oh said, according to Yonhap News Agency. He said he would not raise objections or make specific changes a condition for proceeding. That willingness does not settle which city would stage particular events or establish an approved joint bid.

Why North Jeolla is seeking Seoul's help

North Jeolla defeated Seoul in February 2025 to become South Korea's candidate for the 2036 Games. The province, about 200 kilometres south of the capital, has since sought a co-hosting arrangement amid questions about whether its own facilities can support the event. The Korea Times reported concerns about airport access, stadiums and hotel accommodation, and said the province approached Seoul as those concerns weighed on its bid.

North Jeolla Governor Lee Won-taeg met Oh at Seoul City Hall on September 7 to propose co-hosting, Yonhap reported. According to the agency, Seoul had reportedly sought to stage major events, including the opening and closing ceremonies, in the capital. Oh's October 7 comments did not confirm an agreement on those ceremonies or a division of other events.

What Seoul and North Jeolla have agreed so far

Oh's public commitment concerns his willingness to accept a co-hosting proposal. He also said Seoul could not formulate a position on practical arrangements because North Jeolla had not yet made a practical proposal, Yonhap reported. That distinction leaves the terms of a joint bid to be worked out even as both leaders speak in favour of further discussions.

In response to Oh's remarks, Lee said North Jeolla would continue discussions with Seoul on improving the bid's international competitiveness. ‘We will have more specific talks at a working level,’ Yonhap quoted him as saying. His response pointed to negotiations still ahead rather than a completed hosting plan.

Domestic review and approvals still ahead

The proposed change has already affected scrutiny of North Jeolla's bid. The Korea Times reported that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism suspended its feasibility review while the co-hosting arrangement remained unsettled. Ministry spokesperson Im Young-a told the newspaper that the review had been scheduled to finish by October 4 after an extension for revisions, but was put on hold because the bid's format was changing.

Im said the ministry's review examines whether the plan meets requirements covering matters such as an international airport within 60 minutes, a specified number of five-star hotels, a press centre and an athletes' village. Those criteria explain why a change in host locations matters beyond the two local governments: the ministry must evaluate a realistic plan for delivering the Games.

According to The Korea Times, choosing a joint bid would require North Jeolla to restart the domestic selection process. The newspaper also reported that a plan seeking state funding would need review by the Ministry of Planning and Budget and approval by the National Assembly. It said the final bid plan must be submitted to the IOC by March 2027.