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A Study on the Joint Bid and Hosting of the Seoul-Pyongyang Summer Olympic Games

Author: 
In-Chul Mun

According to the theory of contact, which discussed reducing prejudice and building trust among conflict groups, co-hosting the 2032 Olympic Games is a very useful means to stop the conflict on the Korean Peninsula caused by the division of Korea. In addition, according to the functional theory that social and cultural exchanges and cooperation spread to political and military cooperation, co-hosting the 2032 Olympic Games increases the complex interdependence of the two Koreas. As such, the 2032 Seoul-Pyongyang Olympic Games will serve as a decisive opportunity to deepen the complex interdependence by increasing the amount and quality of inter-Korean contacts. The 2032 Olympic Games will be a large-scale conflict-changing contact platform that will transform the division of the Korean Peninsula into a reconciliation, integration and peace regime. In the short term, the 2032 Olympic Games will trigger infrastructure investment production in Seoul and Pyongyang, and even the two Koreas, and create direct and indirect employment. In the long term, a region will be formed in which neighboring areas will develop around Seoul and Pyongyang. The 2032 Olympic Games will accelerate the improvement and opening of North Korea’s national image. Then Seoul will emerge as a major channel for North Korea’s advancement and the centerpiece of the investment and development market on the Korean Peninsula. The 2032 Olympic Games will lead the development of tourism and sports industries in the two Koreas, with Seoul and Pyongyang at the center. Above all, the 2032 Olympic Games will reduce the cost of division and unification of the Korean Peninsula, contributing to the economic development of the two Koreas and the improvement of the livelihood of residents. The 2032 Olympic Games need to be set as a mission to “restore peace to sports, realize peace to develop into sports” in line with the Olympic spirit of creating a peaceful and better world through sports. These missions are based on the 2032 Olympic Games vision of “peace that the world and the earth recover, spread of sustainable developmental peace.” Under this vision and mission, the 2032 Olympic Games should aim to realize the ‘Democratic Peace Olympics’, ‘Peace Economy Olympics’, ‘Unification Peace Olympics’, ‘Future Peace Olympics’, ‘Eco-Peace Olympics’ and ‘Human Security Olympics’. The 2032 Olympic Games will actually be an inter-Korean Games, given that Seoul and Pyongyang are the main players but were pushed by a consensus between the leaders. Currently, there are various political, military and diplomatic issues in the two Koreas. Furthermore, the North’s nuclear issue is currently under way. In order to secure international support for hosting the 2032 Olympic Games and resolve the issue of sanctions against North Korea, the governments of the two Koreas must closely cooperate. First of all, the South and North Korean governments should implement the meaningful agreements they have made as soon. It will also have to sign a separate inter-Korean agreement focusing on the 2032 Olympic Games and prepare for the hosting and hosting accordingly. The Olympic Games are a large-scale mega sports event that requires a lot of time and effort even if held alone.