Ulsan pursues joint bid with Busan and Gyeongnam for 2038 Asian Games

Ulsan Mayor Kim Sang-wook is promoting a proposal to jointly host the 2038 Asian Games with the neighboring metropolitan cities of Busan and Gyeongnam. During the 107th National Sports Festival in Jeju, the mayor discussed the initiative with officials from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, reportedly receiving favorable responses.

The proposal originated from an internal Ulsan city meeting aimed at identifying mega-projects. By utilizing existing sports facilities in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region, the city aims to minimize the costs associated with constructing new large-scale infrastructure. The estimated project cost for the games is between 1 trillion and 1.3 trillion won.

To realize this vision, the municipalities must coordinate on roles, financial burdens, and facility utilization plans. The host city for the 2038 Asian Games will be determined by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).