Yoo Jinryong, minister of culture, sports and tourism of South Korea, which hosted the 1988 Summer Olympic Games, has stated that his country hopes İstanbul will be the host city for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, adding that Korea would provide Turkey with any assistance that it may need in order to host the Olympic Games.

“I believe that in terms of equipment facilities, Japan and Spain may be far ahead of Turkey. However, what Turkey can leverage is its cultural richness. Turkey has a rich civilizational history and this actually justifies Turkey as a country to host the Games. Indeed, I want Turkey to host the 2020 Olympic Games,” said the Korean minister.

The three cities that are the candidates to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in 2020 are Madrid, Tokyo and İstanbul. All three candidate cities went through a detailed inspection by the Evaluation Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in March, with Tokyo having been inspected first at the beginning of the month, Madrid in mid-month and İstanbul at month’s end. Now, the three countries are waiting for the OIC to announce the host city in September.

“The cultural and emotional aspect of the Turkish people would be an advantage for Turkey. I can’t tell you what the secret is behind getting the chance to host the Games, but we believe that Turkey is our brother country and it deserves to host the Games,” said Yoo.

Minister Yoo believes that hosting the games would have an economic as well as a social impact for Turkey. “There were many substantial changes in Korea after Seoul hosted the 1988 Olympics Games. Most profoundly, the mindset of the people changed. Indeed, the way of thinking of the generation prior to the Games is very different from the one after the Games. I believe Turkey will experience the same changes after hosting the Olympics Games,” said the minister.

The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated from September to October of 1988 in Seoul, South Korea.

“Turkey should stress that it is important for it as a developing country to host the Games, rather than developed ones like Japan and Spain in terms of economic impact. The economy of the country would benefit because the market will be globalized. This was the case in Korea. However, I believe that the impact of the Olympics Games will not only be limited to the economic aspect but that there will also be a political and societal aspect,” said the minister.