Olympic and Asian Games gold medalists join familiarization tour to enhance Jeonju’s bid for the Summer Olympic Games

Key venues including the planned Sports Complex Town and MICE Complex inspected

Expert recommendations gathered to strengthen the city’s bid strategy in sports, culture and tourism

Jeonbuk Stat Korea; June 26, 2026: Korea’s Olympic heroes are rallying behind Jeonju’s bid to host the Summer Olympic Games.From June 25 to 26, Jeonbuk State is hosting a two-day familiarization tour for Olympic gold medalists, former national team athletes, sports administrators and commentators to showcase the region’s Olympic vision and gather expert recommendations for its bid.

Participants include Oh Seong-ok, Olympic gold medalist in women’s handball at the Barcelona Olympic Games and professor at Korea National Sport University; Han Hyun-sook, Public Relations Committee member of the Korea Handball Federation; Moon Dae-sung, taekwondo gold medalist at the Athens Olympic Games and professor at JEI University; Yang Hak-seon, gymnastics gold medalist at the London Olympic Games; and Kim Dong-moon, badminton gold medalist at the Athens Olympic Games and President of the Badminton Korea Association.

They are joined by former national team athletes, coaches and sports commentators from a range of sports including archery, basketball, judo and badminton, demonstrating broad support from Korea’s sporting community for the Olympic bid.

During the tour, participants visited the proposed sites for the Jeonju Sports Complex Town and the MICE Complex, where they received briefings on infrastructure development plans and Jeonbuk State’s strategy for hosting major international sporting events. Officials outlined plans to strengthen venue capacity and enhance the region’s ability to stage world-class competitions.

The delegation also explored Jeonju Hanok Village(one of Korea’s best-known traditional cultural districts) and the Wanpanbon Culture Center to experience Jeonbuk’s cultural and tourism assets firsthand. Participants agreed that the region’s rich cultural heritage, traditional lifestyle and local cuisine represent valuable strengths that would distinguish Jeonju as an Olympic host city.

An expert roundtable followed, focusing on venue planning, international event operations, athlete and spectator services, sustainable Games delivery and strategies for integrating cultural tourism into the Olympic experience. Jeonbuk State plans to incorporate the recommendations into its ongoing bid preparations.

On the second day, participants will experience Jeonbuk’s wellness tourism and regional culinary attractions, highlighting the province’s growing competitiveness as a sustainable tourism destination. Jeonbuk State will also present participants with honorary Jeonbuk Resident Certificates as a symbol of continued partnership and plans to maintain close cooperation with the sports community to expand national support for Jeonju’s Olympic ambitions. Noh Hong-seog, Vice Governor for Administrative Affairs of Jeonbuk State, said:

“The Jeonju Summer Olympic bid is a project that will open a new future for Korea through balanced regional development and sustainability. Drawing on the experience and expertise of Korea’s sports leaders, we will continue to strengthen the competitiveness of our bid.”