S.Korea has 2020 vision to co-host with North
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-15 15:50

Hur aims to set up a Pusan bid committee soon, adding he timed his announcement to coincide with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum his city is hosting this week.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) would decide on the hosts for the 2020 Games in eight years from now, he said.

BRAND RECOGNITION

An Asian city is likely to win the bid and Hur said Pusan had the necessary experience and some venues already built. A bid has to be submitted to the National Olympic Committee by 2009.

Pusan hosted the Asian Games in 2002, just months after it also hosted some of the soccer World Cup matches.

Back in 1988, the yachting events were held off Pusan, which is a port city of some 3.7 million people on the southern tip of the peninsula.

Despite marching together at various opening ceremonies, North and South Koreans have only competed as a single team in an aborted experiment in soccer and table tennis in the early 1990s.

They countries have never co-hosted a major sports event.

Last week, Hur told Reuters the APEC event would create jobs and improve "brand recognition" for Pusan, which nestles in mountains around sea inlets.

"What is important is that I want to make the APEC summit basis for the future development of Pusan," he said.

"This summit will help introduce Pusan to the world."