S. Korean Government Announces Right To Strip Cities Of Int'l Sports Competition Bids

The South Korean government announced Tuesday that "it will reserve the right to rescind bids by municipalities" to stage int'l sports competitions, as part of changes aimed at ensuring more transparency in bidding processes, according to YONHAP. The Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism said that "it will revise laws guiding the central government's support on prospective hosts of sporting events." Under proposed changes, the government will acquire the right to strip cities of their bid to bring home int'l competitions "if it discovers corruption and other irregularities during the bidding process." The ministry's move comes in light of a recent controversy involving the metropolitan city of Gwangju, which won the right to host the '19 world swimming championships "under disputed circumstances" (YONHAP, 9/24).