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Through the 'Olympic City 3.0' Model, Jeonbuk State unveiled a new vision for an Olympic city that prioritizes its citizens and the environment.

On the 15th, the state hosted the '2025 Olympic City Forum' at Jeonbuk National University, attended by international Olympic officials, sports experts, Olympic stars, and journalists. At the forum, participants assessed the competitive edge of Jeonbuk and Jeonju as an Olympic city and sought ways for sustainable development.

- Present the sports diplomacy strategy and the Olympic City 3.0 Model

The keynote session, titled ‘The Olympics and the City,’ was chaired by Professor Kim Do-kyun of Kyung Hee University. In the first presentation, Park Ju-hee, Chairperson of the International Sports Strategy Committee, emphasized the importance of global cooperation in Olympic bidding. Chairperson Park analyzed the sports diplomacy strategies of competing nations and cities and proposed a direction for Jeonbuk and Jeonju to pursue.

In the presentation on ‘The Global Olympic Stage and City Diplomacy,’ Chairperson Park proposed three core strategies. These include: ▲ Integrating the city brand with a cultural Olympics that combines K-Culture and a sustainable model; ▲ Establishing a multilateral cooperation governance system linking the IOC, OCA, and UNESCO, and creating a sustainable sports hub that aligns with the IOC's 'Fit for the Future' initiative; and ▲ Creating a sustainable legacy through a carbon-neutral hosting plan and the convergence of city, education, culture, and tourism. Chairperson Park explained that a Jeonju Summer Olympics must be an event that leaves the entire city as a legacy, rather than just the stadiums.

Cho Hyun-joo, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute of Sport Science (KISS), presented ‘The Evolution of the Olympic City: From 1.0 to 3.0.’ Research Fellow Cho defined the Olympic city as a ‘Living Legacy’ and advocated for a transition to the Olympic City 3.0 model, which centers on citizens and sustainability.

According to a fellow Cho, the 1.0 era, exemplified by the Seoul Olympics, was the age of state-led symbolism. The 2.0 era, like the 2012 London Olympics, represents the entrepreneurial city model that emphasized urban competitiveness. The 3.0 era, represented by the 2024 Paris Olympics, is centered on sustainability and citizen-centricity

The goals of Olympic City 3.0 are low-carbon, decentralized operations, expanded citizen participation, and neighborhood regeneration. The key values were cited as the 3Ps: People, Planet, and Policy.

The fellow Cho emphasized that the Olympics should be redefined not as a one-time 'event,' but as a 'process' and a 'system.'

The fellow stated that the Olympic bid strategy for Jeonbuk and Jeonju could serve as a leading model for Olympic City 3.0, and called for the internalization of Olympic values into urban policy, including improvements in the city's lifestyle, environment, health, and fairness, as well as the introduction of innovative services.

-Competitiveness of Jeonbuk and Jeonju as seen by journalists and Olympic stars-

The afternoon session kicked off with a performance by the Jeonju University Taekwondo Demonstration Team, ‘Ssaurabi.’ This was followed by a segment illuminating the charm of Jeonbuk and Jeonju as a sports city and its potential as an Olympic city, as seen through the perspectives of journalists and Olympic stars

The first session featured a discussion among journalists from both within and outside the province on the theme: ‘The Most Korean City, the Most Innovative Olympics.’ The session provided a view on how sports could transform Jeonbuk and Jeonju, as seen from the perspective of the journalists.

The attending journalists offered their opinions based on their understanding of local issues in the Jeonbuk region and their experience covering sports scenes around the world. They analyzed the impact of sports on the city brand, urban economy, residents' lives, and local industries, and proposed Jeonbuk and Jeonju's strengths and weaknesses, as well as future tasks and achievable solutions.

The second session, titled ‘The Sustainable Future of Korean Sports,’ featured Olympic stars. Athletes Lee Dong-guk, O Sang-uk, and Gwak Yu-gi shared their connections with Jeonbuk and Jeonju and spoke about the city's appeal as a sports hub. They also expressed astonishment at the power of the fandom, which they noted is second to none.

The athletes presented the conditions for an excellent Olympic city based on their competition experiences. They stated that the environment outside the stadium—including transportation, food, and safety—is equally important, requiring a differentiated strategy for these aspects. They assessed that Jeonbuk and Jeonju possess sufficient competitiveness to satisfy these conditions.

Jeonbuk Self-Governing Province Governor Kim Kwan-young stated:

“Since Jeonbuk and Jeonju have surpassed Seoul to become a candidate city for hosting the Olympics, we will go beyond simple bidding to create a sustainable Olympic city that embodies the values of the Olympics. We will use this forum as an opportunity to strengthen public-private cooperation and organize various events for an Olympic city built together with the citizens of the province.”