Political Importance and Public Support

From a political perspective, PyeongChang’s geographic location is near the demilitarized zone that divides North and South Korea. They hold a considerably tense political relationship, which became world renown at the 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony when the South and North Koreans marched separately, even though they’d originally planned to represent Korea as one team (Merkel and Kim 2011). Therefore high levels of security will be present at the 2018 Winter Olympics (Pye 2014).

 

Merkel and Kim (2011) suggest three ways to prevent North Korea from boycotting the Olympics similar to the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Firstly, the organizing committee should give North Korea the opportunity to hold some of the events. They might also consider mixing up the teams and organizing public campaigns to promote the two Koreas’ ‘reconciliation and reunification’ (Merkel and Kim 2011). One example would be marching together at the upcoming Winter Olympics’ Opening Ceremony to publicize the defining moment. In addition, this would increase the chances of Jacques Rogge, the International Olympic Committee’s president, winning his first Nobel Peace Prize (Merkel and Kim 2011). Overall, such options are viewed as realistic methods that will have a significant impact on the human geography of South Korea. Moreover, thePyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) highly encourages the attendance of North Korean athletes, who were absent in Sochi, at the 2018 Winter Games, and they are certain the PyeongChang Winter Olympics will relax the tension between North and South Korea to promote peace (Pye 2014).

 

It took 3 bids until South Korea could finally host the Winter Olympics. South Korea was able to win the third bid because it was heavily supported by the national government versus just the regional one (Merkel and Kim 2011). All levels of government including the national government, Gangwon Provincial Government, and PyeongChang Municipal Government worked together with other sport organizations, which allowed them to get more support from the public (Merkel and Kim 2011). Also, the third bid was more about exposing winter sports in an Asian country and less political. According to a 119-page report on candidate host cities, the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics was supported by 92% of PyeongChang residents, which is extremely high compared to Munich’s 53% and Annecy’s 63% (Chosun 2011). Overall, 91% of South Korea’s population supported the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics, which largely helped PyeongChang win the bid (Merkel and Kim 2011). PyeongChang became the official host city for the 2018 Winter Olympics on July 6, 2011. Over a 20 year period, South Korea will have hosted three world renown sporting events including the 1998 Summer Olympics in Seoul, the 2002 Soccer World Cup, and the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, which is phenomenal for a small country like South Korea (Merkel and Kim 2011).

Past Olympic Games and their Implications

Although the Olympic Games have significant economic, social, and cultural benefits, they are also associated with potential negative outcomes (Choi and Heo 2013). Firstly, hosting the Olympic Games can create large sums of debt. When South Korea hosted the Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics, the country’s financial market expanded and was exposed to a wide variety of foreign investors, as a result, they were left in a financial crisis in 1997 (Choi and Heo 2013). Secondly, large corporations interfere with Olympic traditions by making the event more about winning and making money than having fun and satisfying athletes’ interests (Choi and Heo 2013). Businesses are interested in making extra profit by sponsoring the entire event or even the athletes themselves because such associations with their products will increase sales. For example, Korean Air is building bobsleds for the South Korean team using their knowledge on aerodynamics to create the best bobsled (Chosun 2014). In other words, the Olympic Games have been widely ‘commercialized’ (Choi and Heo 2013).

 

The media also plays a major role in commercializing the Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) gets the most revenue from granting television rights to large broadcasting companies (Choi and Heo 2013). According to the most recent report from the IOC marketing group, the IOC generated revenues of US $3.914 billion from 2009-2012 (Choi and Heo 2013). From 1993-1996, they made US $1.251 billion, which shows that profits are increasing (Choi and Heo 2013). It is predicted that profits will be as high as US $4 billion from 2014-2016 (Choi and Heo 2013). Based on the 2012 London Olympics, it isn’t quite clear the PyeongChang Olympics will drive the economy of South Korea. However, one can confidently say that large corporations that have sponsored the IOC for long periods of time, including British Airways and Coco-Cola, make the most profit (Choi and Heo 2013).

 

Finally, many host countries in the past have struggled to maintain competition venues after the Olympics mainly because they don’t have the money to (Choi and Heo 2013). For example, the main stadium might be converted into a large shopping mall or a swimming pool might be transformed into a water park. Clearly, South Korea has no problem maintaining its existing competition venues. For example, the Alpensia Ski Resort in the Alpensia Cluster is not only open for tourism purposes, but also hold annual festivals including the Dream Program inviting youth from all over the world, particularly tropical and developing countries, to participate and experience winter sports (POCOG 2010).

The First ‘Green Dream: O2 plus Winter Games’ in History

The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics has been granted the label ‘Green Dream: O2 plus Winter Games,’ the first in Olympic history, for its efforts to follow sustainable practices and maintain a healthy environment for future generations based on a detailed environmental management plan developed with the help of environment professionals associated with public and private organizations (POCOG 2010). The plan focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by using renewable energy, preserving water resources, minimizing waste production, protecting ecosystems, and creating awareness about environmental risks and hazards to leave a positive environmental impact.

 

As part of the plan, all competition venues will meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. Both new and existing competition venues will fully take advantage of renewable energy such as wind energy, which will cut carbon emissions by over 90% (POCOG 2010). Geothermal, solar, and biomass-based energy will be used to cool and warm up facilities (POCOG 2010). Over half of the building materials to be used for improving existing venues will come from local and recycled building materials (POCOG 2010). The goal is to produce minimal waste in both building and running the venues therefore disposable goods and packaging will be banned (POCOG 2010). Instead, they will be made from natural ingredients such as potatoes or cornstarch. All materials will be recycled, and food waste composted for reuse (POCOG 2010). In order to save and reuse water, all competition venues will have special faucets, showerheads and toilets, as well as rainwater tanks(POCOG 2010). Using rainwater from a basin the size of 5% of the area of the venue and reusing more than 10% of wastewater from the venues will save more than 50% of the water that would have been wasted, otherwise (POCOG 2010, 48).

 

In terms of transportation, the railroad between Wonju and Gangneung will be built through a tunnel to protect the Greater Baekdu Mountain Range structure and reduce air pollution (POCOG 2010). The environmental management plan also includes the use of electric buses only on designated lanes and shuttle trains and the development of a bike trail, a Low Carbon Green Road to span 10 km, specifically for vehicles that have reduced emissions (POCOG 2010). Parking lots will be strategically located around highways and train stations to discourage driving to competition venues (POCOG 2010). Green Buffer Zones will be developed as a barrier between the Olympic venues and roads to prevent noise pollution beyond the roads (POCOG 2010). All competition venues and related facilities for the 2018 Winter Games are located outside nature and cultural reserves (POCOG 2010). For example, the Winter Games will not interfere with Korean ‘trail skiing’ authentic to the Gangwon province, which involves skiing and hunting at the same time (POCOG 2010). Moreover, the POCOG plan to use the Winter Games as a segway to restoring vulnerable natural systems in the surrounding area. For example, the Olympic Forest will be created to replace any forests that are destroyed in the process of developing any competition venues (POCOG 2010). Overall, the Winter Games are associated with negative environmental impacts including coastal damage and surface erosion. But the point is the environmental management plan addresses potential environmental impacts to prevent them, before the actual event. The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics will act as a reputable model for future Winter Games as it ‘bridges the gap between the environment and sports’ (POCOG 2010).

How physical/human geography will impact PyeongChang Olympics/experience

PyeongChang is a small city with a population of approximately 43,000 people in Gangwon Province, South Korea (Busbee 2014). The PyeongChang government, in particular, has been eager to host the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang as PyeongChang is where skiing in Korea first originated while it is a key winter sports area in Northeast Asia because it is one of the few places in East Asia capable of sustaining a winter sports hub (POCOG 2010).

 

PyeongChang’s natural environment is often referred to as the “lungs of Korea” with 84% of its land covered by high mountains with average elevations of 750 m, which provides the setting for mountain-based winter sports (POCOG 2010). Tourists attending the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics will be surrounded by mountains, which will add an atmospheric element of a ski resort vacation to their experience, compared to a tropical one evident at Sochi with its palm trees. At the time of the event, PyeongChang’s average high is -0.4°C and their average low is -10.5°C (Wikipedia 2014). The cold and dry Siberian high pressure system that flows into the area often brings heavy snowfall, ensuring there is enough snow for the Winter Games and for athletes to show off their optimal levels of performance (POCOG 2010).

 

PyeongChang has long, cold and dry winters and warm, humid summers. During the winter months, the city attracts 150,000 international tourists and 3.6 million Korean skiers every year (POCOG 2010). The mountains attract hikers during the summer. PyeongChang is located off the coast and has an open view of the East Sea, which tourists can also enjoy. Therefore PyeongChang’s geographic location and combined features allow for the city to be promoted as a year-round tourist destination. Moreover, tourists attending the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics will be exposed to South Korea’s unique culture not only through the Olympic ceremonies, but while travelling to and from the Olympic villages. Furthermore, they will have the opportunity to interact with South Koreans and experience the country’s traditions, language, and foods, but also the culture authentic to the PyeongChang community. PyeongChang is located only 110 miles east of the country’s capital, Seoul, equivalent to a 3-hour trip by car (Busbee 2014). There is no doubt PyeongChang will be a crowded spot during the 2018 Winter Olympics, especially with its small area and close proximity to the country’s capital, which houses 1/5 of the country’s total population of 50 million people (Wikipedia 2014).

 

How PyeongChang Olympics will impact physical/human geography

The motto for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics is New Horizons (POCOG 2010). Asia has only hosted the Winter Games twice, and Korea has never hosted them so this is quite a big deal for the country. The vision of the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) is to ‘open up New Horizons’ in a region where access and opportunities to participate in winter sports is generally limited, through the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games, to attract the interests of new generations in Asia, in winter sports (POCOG 2010). This is significant because Asia houses the youngest population in the world, which continues to increase at the fastest rate, and if it weren’t for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics, Asian youth under the age of 20 would have no knowledge regarding the 1998 Nagano Olympics (POCOG 2010).

The city of PyeongChang has become relatively urbanized ever since it first started bidding for the 2010 Winter Olympics. This has been largely due to the new infrastructure developments in order to present PyeongChang as a suitable candidate to host the Winter Olympics. As a result, a number of new hotels, competition venues, and new transportation systems have been built over the years. Although infrastructure developments alter the land of PyeongChang, they create jobs, raising the income levels of local residents while allowing for new industries in construction to emerge therefore the Winter Games has local effects (Choi and Heo 2013). The Winter Olympic Games also create job and volunteer opportunities from operating facilities and participating in the Opening Ceremony. Overall, an estimated amount of 230,000 new jobs will be created (Merkel and Kim 2011, 2375).

PyeongChang 2018’s competition venue plan is one of the most compact in Olympic Winter Games history. The venues will be located in two Clusters, only 30 minutes apart. The Alpensia Cluster which stands in the Baekdu Mountain Range, will house the Olympic Stadium and the IOC Hotel, and the Coastal Cluster in Gangneung, which has an open view of the East Sea, will house figure skating, hockey, curling, and speed skating (POCOG 2010). There will be alpine skiing in Jungbong (POCOG 2010). The Alpensia Ski Resort, a $1.4 billion resort, which opened in August 2010, is also located in the Alpensia Cluster (POCOG 2010). The sliding center for bobsleigh, skeleton, and luge will be incorporated as part of the Alpensia Ski Resort, which is now under construction. It is significant to note that the Alpensia Ski Resort is a modern structure and does not blend in with its natural surroundings. The plan is to have the new competition venues completely built by October 2016 to give Korean athletes a sufficient amount of time to train before the actual event (Arirang News 2014).

Hosting the Winter Olympics will cost PyeongChang an estimated amount of around US $2 billion and additional US $7 billion for infrastructure (Pye 2014). In comparison, Sochi spent $51 billion to build almost all its venues and infrastructure from scratch (Pye 2014). Many of PyeongChang’s venues were already built even before PyeongChang was officially selected as the host nation. Therefore, more than half of the funds for infrastructure are going towards a high-speed rail line that will shorten the commute from the country’s capital to PyeongChang by one hour (Pye 2014). The development of an integrated multi-modal transportation system that consists of highways, high-speed rail, railroads and national roads that will link airports to accommodations and competition venues is in the works and was another factor that helped PyeongChang win the bid (POCOG 2010). Such a system coupled with efficient immigration services for the athletes will reinforce a smooth transition, especially with the transportation of all their equipment (POCOG 2010). In addition, the PyeongChang Winter Olympics will benefit regional airports, including the Yangyang Airport in Gangwon province, that are showing deficits in their revenue to increase air traffic (Chosun 2012).

In terms of infrastructure development, many of its venues were already built even before PyeongChang was selected. PyeongChang has had years to develop and present themselves as attractive candidates and the development of potential venues including the Alpensia Ski Resort, was an important factor that helped PyeongChang win the bid.

The Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics increased South Korea’s tourist revenues before, during, and after the Games as the event made tourists more aware of the country, therefore the Winter Games should have the same effect (Choi and Heo 2013). For example, the number of international tourists in South Korea increased by 16.4% in 1986, 12.9% in 1987, 24.9% in 1988 and 16.6% in 1989 (Choi and Heo 2013, 1856). More recently, in 1990 and 1991, the number of international tourists increased by 8.5% and 8% respectively (Choi and Heo 2013, 1856). Although hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics is costly, it will generate profits of 8.75 trillion won or 5.77 billion Euros (Merkel and Kim 2011, 2375).