Choi said the Masikryong Ski Resort is one of the venues he is considering for the 2021 AWG.GETTY IMAGES
The governor of Gangwon Province, where Pyeongchang is located, said Saturday that he is considering a bid to co-host the 2021 Asian Winter Games with North Korea, according to YONHAP. Gangwon Governor Choi Moon-soon said, "We will start the process (for a feasibility review) soon after the Pyeongchang Winter Games." He added that the plan would enable "a better utilization of the infrastructure of PyeongChang after the games and continued inter-Korean exchanges and reconciliation through sports." As for the AWG venues, Choi said that he is considering the Pyeongchang Olympics facilities and the Masikryong Ski Resort on the outskirts of Wonsan, North Korea, which Kim Jong-un "aspires to develop as a lavish sports tourism attraction" (YONHAP, 2/17). REUTERS' Jane Chung reported the host city for the '21 event has not been decided yet. A spokesperson for South Korea’s sports ministry said that it "hopes to continue sports exchanges with North Korea after the Winter Games" but it had not yet discussed any bid for the 2021 AWG. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that there was a "growing understanding of the need for talks" between the U.S. and North Korea. Moon said, "Talks between South and North Korea are making significant progress. ... Meanwhile, a shared understanding of holding talks between the United States and North Korea is growing" (REUTERS, 2/17).