(Fort Lee, NJ) - PyeongChang was selected to the 2010 Winter Olympic candidate short-list on August 28, 2002. The 21st PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games would take place February 6 ~ February 21, 2010 (for 16 days) in PyeongChang, Gangwon-do. The games would feature 7 sports, 15 disciplines and 78 events and some 80 IOC member countries and 5,000 people. Gangwon-do is the center of Korea’s tourism and leisure sports, and is visited by 5 million Koreans and 300,000 overseas visitors a year.

Pyeongchang is the 3rd largest county in Korea. With a population of 47,190 and a land mass that is 65.2% highlands, it is the perfect host city for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. There are 23 sites that reach 3,000 feet or more. PyeongChang has a long winter and has heavy snow fall, making it extremely suitable for winter sports games.

PyeongChang is easy to reach from all points in Korea, and the Gangwon Winter Sports Belt venues are all within an hour of each other and within 10 or 20 minutes from expressways. The area also enjoys quick and easy access to railways and both international and domestic airports. The capital city of Seoul is only a two hours drive to the west. All host sites have excellent accommodations available. PyeongChang has rich experience in hosting international competitions, and, without exception, these events have enjoyed the enthusiastic support of the people and the government.

The hotels and condominiums in the resort areas and nearby towns throughout the Gangwon Winter Sports Belt will provide outstanding facilities to accommodate athletes, media personnel, supporting crews, and all the visitors to the Games. In addition to the 2,361-room Olympic Village, there will be official lodging for 19,168 members of the Olympic Family. Another 60,000 rooms in the area have been secured for visitors. The facilities range in quality from deluxe hotels to youth hostels and local inns, so there will be lodging available to suit every budget. All in all, the facilities will be able to accommodate more than 200,000 people.
In addition to lodging, these resorts also have facilities for golf, swimming, billiards, tennis, as well as other recreation facilities such as computer game rooms and karaoke rooms. Concerts and other cultural events would be scheduled throughout the period of the Games.

Korea has already successfully hosted many of the world’s most significant international sporting competitions, including the 1988 Olympic Summer Games, the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and the Summer Asian Games of 1986 and 2002.

PyeongChang itself is highly experienced as a competition host. Forty-eight out of forty-nine Korean National Winter Sports Competitions have been held here. PyeongChang has had the honor of hosting the 1999 Winter Asian Games, and has hosted the FIS Continental Cup Ski Competition twelve times. The World Cup Ski Championships were held here three times.

The government has already pledged an investment of 3.2 billion U.S. dollars for the building of new roads and railways and for the construction and renovation of sports facilities and other infrastructure needed for the Games. NGOs and media organizations have also expressed their firm support.

For more information, please call the Korea National Tourism Organization at 1-800-868-7657.