IOC 2018 Evaluation Commission Report / XXIII Olympic Winter Games
PYEONGCHANG
Vision, Concept and Legacy,
Continued
Culture, education, ceremonies and city activities
PyeongChang 2018 proposes a significant commitment to promoting culture, education, city activities and
ceremonies through the Games. The OCOG budget includes USD 92 million and the Korean government has
committed to making further investments.
The Commission noted that several cultural and education programmes already exist and appear to be working
well. PyeongChang 2018 sees the Games as a catalyst to add value to these programmes and events. Overall,
there is a clear attempt to integrate existing programmes within the overall vision of “New Horizons” and to
actively engage with countries that are not strong in winter sports. The “Dream programme” and the “Winter
Sports Academy” are obvious examples of such integration.
As part of the government’s commitment, the Korean Culture and Information Service, in close consultation with
the OCOG, would deliver a six year cultural programme (2012-2017), the aim of which would be to target
countries which are undeveloped in their winter sports.
Since its first bid for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, PyeongChang has initiated several education programmes,
aimed primarily at school aged children. The focus has been on promoting a healthy lifestyle, winter sports and
the teaching of Olympism through curriculum linked education resources for schools.
Most of these initiatives appear to be focused on Gangwon Province, although there is an intention to expand
these across Korea, should PyeongChang be awarded the Games. A significant commitment has been made to
provide 20 hours of classes on the “Olympic Movement and winter sports” per semester from 2012, and
resources are already being prepared for this. This would be in addition to the existing lessons on the Olympic
Games.
The Opening and Closing Ceremonies would take place at the ski jumping arena. The Commission feels that work
remains to be done with regard to the design of the venue for the ceremonies as it poses some logistical and
operational challenges. Although the bid committee proposed to reduce the capacity of the venue from 60,000 to
50,000 during the Commission’s visit, further planning would be required. The combined Opening and Closing
ceremonies budget of USD 35 million also appears to be on the low side.
The bid committee was made aware that its proposal to run the Olympic Torch relay through Asia did not meet
IOC requirements. PyeongChang 2018 agreed to respect the IOC’s guidelines on this matter and indicated that
plans also existed for a 100-day relay through Korea.
The bid proposes a medals plaza in both Games zones. The Alpensia plaza is planned as part of an ‘Olympic town’
development, with adjoining live sites, sponsor hospitality and an Olympic pavilion in a parkland setting. In the
Coastal zone, an existing football stadium in the downtown area would serve as the medals plaza.