The South Korean city of Pyeongchang has been chosen to host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the 123rd International Olympic Committee session in Durban, South Africa – defeating Munich of Germany, and Annecy of France.
Pyeongchang received a majority 63 out of 95 votes, with Munch a distant runner-up with 25, and Annecy gaining just seven votes.
For the South Korean city it was third time lucky, having previously lost to Vancouver for the 2010 Games, and Sochi for the Games in 2014.
In the previous two attempts Pyeongchang had led on the first round of voting by IOC members – but failed to gain an overall majority, losing out in the second round.
However this time round the South Korean city won outright in the first round, avoiding the same fate for the third time.
IOC president Jacques Rogge announced Pyeongchang’s victory – marking the first time a Korean city will stage the Winter Games.
Successful bid chief Cho Yang-ho said: ‘This is one of the happiest days for our country, our people and millions of youth dreaming of winter sport’.
For Kim Jin-Seun the former governor of Gangwon Province – who had led the previous two bids and is an ambassador of the 2018 bid, added: ‘For 17 years I have had a really rough road, really hard’.
‘I don’t know what to say. I’m overwhelmed. I’m just very, very happy’.
Pyeongchang has a population of 47,000 and is situated near South Korea’s east coast.
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