Reflections from the PyeongChang Olympic Games: North–South Korean Relations, Security, Environmental Problems, and Sporting Facilities

Abstract

This paper investigates the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics in relation to North–South Korean relations, security policies, environmental problems, and the reuse of sporting facilities based on the discussion of Boykoff’s “celebration capitalism.” Bids for hosting the winter games in PyeongChang were submitted three times, and in each case, the sites and orientations differed considerably along with internal and international political conditions. State securitization was also seen in PyeongChang, and a Japanese inspection team was there to study the effects in preparation for Tokyo’s 2020 Summer Olympic games. The environmental problems criticized internationally were major deforestation, and that the burden on the environment was not ameliorated compared with the Sapporo Winter Olympics held 46 years previously. The construction of sporting facilities in Nagano, Japan, proceeded despite the fact that it was foreseen that they would be difficult to use after the games, and the same occurred in PyeongChang.