In a monumental announcement, North Korea and South Korea have expressed their interest in co-hosting the 2032 Summer Olympics. This information was delivered on the second day of a three-day summit between the two leaders, Kim Jong Un and President Moon Jae-in, according to Fox4 News . It’s another goodwill gesture between the two leaders, as they work together in tandem with the United States to denuclearize the Korean peninsula. Kim and Moon signed a 17-page agreement, which is to “cease all hostile acts against each other.” Moon stated the following.
“The era of no war has started. Today the North and South decided to remove all threats that can cause war from the entire Korean peninsula.”
Some of the military-related goals in the accord included the end of military drills, and removal of guard posts in the Military Demarcation Line. In addition, the leaders want to establish a railroad and regular road between North and South Korea in the next year. Also, Kim has pledged to destroy the Tongchang-ri missile engine test site and the Yongbyon nuclear site.
In addition to the Olympics announcement, Kim also said that he’ll be going to Seoul “as soon as possible.” This is also significant, because it would be the first time ever that a North Korean leader has set foot there.
North Korea could host the 2032 Olympics https://t.co/O5SlIs9qhk pic.twitter.com/NsXDx4Iubu
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) September 19, 2018
Other countries that are expected to make a bid for the 2032 Summer Olympics include Germany, Australia, and India. The official location of the Olympics are usually announced seven years prior to the games, so that means Kim and Moon have seven years to put together a proposal, detailed Fox News . So far, few details have been released about the plan.
South Korea already has experience with the huge event, as they hosted the Winter Olympics this year. And in 1988, Seoul was the site of the Summer Games. On the other hand, North Korea has the world’s largest stadium, called the May Day Stadium. It’s believed to have a capacity of 150,000, reported the BBC .
The two Koreas are planning to make a joint bid for the 2032 Summer Olympics https://t.co/xdLaIC0tW1
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) September 19, 2018
The two Koreas have previously displayed their commitment to unity through sports. For example, both the North and South competed together in ice hockey during this year’s Winter Olympics.
Olympics fans can look forward to the summer event taking place in Tokyo in 2020, Paris in 2024, and Los Angeles in 2028, described USA Today . And while it’s unclear who will end up winning the bid for the 2032 Olympics, the joint effort between the two Koreas alone is symbolic and significant.
