Incheon vs. Delhi for Asian Games Bid

For Incheon, which is bidding to be the host for the 2014 Asian Games, the following 100 days are of crucial importance.

This is because a final decision will be made in the general assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia, scheduled on April 16 and 17, by vote of its 45 member states. If Incheon wins the contest, it will be the third city in South Korea hosting the Asian Games after Seoul (1986) and Busan (2002).

Incheon City has earnestly joined the hosting competition since June 2005 when they obtained the central government’s approval and submitted their application to the OCA. Thus far, the city has sent delegates more than 20 times to OCA general assemblies, executive committees, international tournaments, and various sports forums in order to contact presidents and secretary generals of each state’s Olympic Committee, and other important figures in the Asian sports community. To the Doha Asian Games held last month, they dispatched a large group of envoys.

The biggest reason Incheon is so enthusiastic to host the games is because of its economic effects. According to a research committed to the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, expected economic benefits include induced production of 13 trillion won (10.6 trillion won for Incheon), induced added-value of 5.6 trillion won (4.5 trillion won for Incheon) and induced employment of 270,000 people (200,000 for Incheon).

In addition, a special support law will pass the National Assembly to help Incheon renew its infrastructure such as roads, transportation and communication facilities. As the city’s long-term goal is to become the ‘hub of East Asia,’ they are going all-out to host the games, concentrating all of their administrative capabilities.

Prospects seem optimistic-

The municipality is planning to build 21 new sports facilities by 2008, including a four-story indoor swimming pool capable of holding 8,000 people. It is to be established on the 18,000-pyeong camping site beside Munhak Stadium which is to be used as the main stadium if Incheon gets to host the games.

The city competing with Incheon is Delhi, India. Delhi has already hosted the Asian Games twice, once in 1951 and again in 1982. Authorities of Incheon seem to be quite optimistic, saying they can win more than 30 of the 45 OCA votes.

Incheon is winning broad support of the member states as it has advantages over Delhi in terms of municipal infrastructure, overall environment, venue facilities, marketing capabilities and information technology. The city also boasts of experience in hosting international tournaments. It hosted games of the 2002 World Cup and the 2005 Asian Athletics Championships.

Receiving full-scale financial support from the Indian government, Delhi is providing the member states with an alluring offer that they would pay for all flight and stay costs of the participating teams. Incheon’s current superiority cannot be assured till the end of the race.

Pyeongchang’s bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics is also a negative factor for Incheon. As the conclusion of this competition is to be made at the IOC general assembly scheduled in July 2007 at Guatemala, some member states might oppose Korea hosting two major tournaments together.

Concerning this problem, the OCA has responded that as the Winter Olympic Games and Asian Games are totally different international tournaments in their nature, hosting one does not affect the other.

Shin Yong-seok, president of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games Bidding Committee, said, “We are having good responses from the member states that we are confident we can win even if the vote takes place right now. We will attempt to solidify our victory by mobilizing support in the Winter Asian Games which will open at Changchun, China in January.”

kchwang@donga.com