Seoul yet to decide on joint Olympic bid with North Jeolla

Seoul has yet to decide on North Jeolla Province’s proposal for a joint 2036 Summer Olympics bid, after the capital lost the domestic selection to the province. North Jeolla says it has asked Seoul to co-host and is waiting for a reply, while both sides remain apart on who would handle key events such as the opening ceremony. A Seoul official said there has been no working-level contact with provincial officials, and any joint bid would still need a new domestic selection process.

North Jeolla Gov. Lee Won-taeg said on Monday that he expects Seoul to make a decision after the Chuseok holiday.

A government official said a joint bid would involve significant taxpayer money.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has said the opening and closing ceremonies would be hosted by the capital under a joint bid, according to reports.

A city official said there has been no working-level contact with provincial government officials.

If the two sides agree, a new domestic selection process would still be required, and the co-hosting bid would have to compete with other host candidates.

Published Sep 23, 2026 9:57 am KST

Updated Sep 23, 2026 9:59 am KST

Seoul City Hall / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

With North Jeolla Province pushing to co-host the 2036 Summer Olympics with Seoul, the capital city's government remains hesitant to respond to the proposal, following its own elimination from the domestic selection process.

North Jeolla Province officials said the provincial government submitted a joint hosting proposal to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and is currently awaiting a response.

Insiders, however, say it would be challenging for the two governments to iron out the details of the co-hosting arrangement as both would want to hold the major events, including the opening ceremony.

“They will find it hard to narrow their differences because both sides would want the key events ... Seoul had already lost the initial domestic bid to North Jeolla Province. While Seoul would readily host the event on its own, a joint bid is a completely different matter, as it involves significant taxpayer money,” a government official familiar with the matter told The Korea Times.

It has been reported that the metropolitan government told the province that under a joint bid, the capital would host major events, such as the opening and closing ceremonies. It is unknown whether North Jeolla Province accepted the proposal.

"We expect Seoul will agree [on the joint bid] for coexistence," North Jeolla Gov. Lee Won-taeg said in a briefing on Monday, adding that he expects the city to make a decision after the Chuseok holiday.

Lee, however, did not provide clear answers to questions on how the two sides will divide up hosting of key ceremonies and events.

As to reports that Seoul proposed to host the opening and closing ceremonies, a city official said that the topic has been discussed by the top leadership of both governments, but had no further information. He also said there has not been any working-level contact with provincial government officials.

"Some degree of mutual understanding must first be established at the top level. The two governments have not reached any consensus or alignment yet," the official said.

Even if both sides agree on a joint proposal, relevant procedures would require a new domestic selection process in which the co-hosting bid would have to compete with other host candidates.

Meanwhile, the provincial government also maintains that it plans to pursue a solo bid to host the event if co-hosting talks with Seoul collapse.

首尔尚未就全罗北道提出的2036年夏季奥运会联合申办方案做出决定。此前，首尔在国内申办程序中败给了全罗北道。全罗北道表示已向首尔提出联合申办的请求，目前正在等待回复。双方在开幕式等重要活动的承办方问题上仍存在分歧。一位首尔官员表示，目前尚未与全罗北道官员进行任何工作层面的接触，任何联合申办方案仍需重新进行国内申办程序。

全罗北道知事李元泰周一表示，他预计首尔将在中秋节假期后做出决定。

一位政府官员表示，联合投标将涉及大量纳税人的钱。

据报道，首尔市政府表示，开幕式和闭幕式将由首尔联合申办。

一位市政府官员表示，尚未与省政府官员进行工作层面的接触。

如果双方同意，仍需进行新的国内遴选程序，并且联合主办国的申办将与其他主办国竞争。

发布于2026年9月23日上午9:57（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月23日上午9:59（韩国标准时间）

首尔市政府/图片由首尔市政府提供

全罗北道积极争取与首尔共同举办 2036 年夏季奥运会，而首尔市政府在国内申办过程中被淘汰后，仍然对这一提议犹豫不决。

全罗北道官员表示，省政府已向首尔市政府提交联合举办方案，目前正在等待回复。

但内部人士表示，两国政府要敲定共同主办安排的细节将面临挑战，因为双方都希望举办包括开幕式在内的重大活动。

一位知情政府官员告诉《韩国时报》：“双方很难缩小分歧，因为双方都想承办关键赛事……首尔在最初的国内申办中已经输给了全罗北道。虽然首尔很乐意单独举办赛事，但联合申办则完全不同，因为它涉及到大量的纳税人资金。”

据报道，东京都政府已告知全罗北道，若双方联合申办，首都将承办包括开幕式和闭幕式在内的重大活动。目前尚不清楚全罗北道是否接受了该提议。

全罗北道知事李元泰周一在新闻发布会上表示：“我们预计首尔将同意（联合申请）共存方案。”他还补充说，他预计首尔将在中秋节假期后做出决定。

然而，李显龙并未就双方如何分担重要仪式和活动的举办权等问题给出明确答复。

关于首尔提议承办开幕式和闭幕式的报道，一位首尔市政府官员表示，两国政府高层已讨论过此事，但没有更多信息。他还表示，目前尚未与省政府官员进行任何工作层面的接触。

“首先需要在高层建立一定程度的相互理解。两国政府尚未达成任何共识或协调一致，”这位官员说。

即使双方同意共同提出方案，相关程序也需要一个新的国内遴选程序，其中联合主办方必须与其他主办候选方竞争。

与此同时，省政府也表示，如果与首尔的联合举办谈判破裂，它计划单独申办该赛事。