Jamsil Olympic Stadium extensive renovations

Article posted by Coliseum, September 7^th, 2023

Image: Jamsil Baseball Stadium, Arne Müseler, CC BY-SA 3.0 de

Work began on August 29^th on an extensive renovation of one of Seoul’s (South Korea) most iconic sports stadiums.

‘Korea JoonAng Daily’ stated that in a statement, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said it aims to transform the Jamsil Olympic Stadium in Southern Seoul, a symbol of the Seoul Olympics in 1988, into a new sports and cultural space in line with its bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2036.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is a local government of Seoul, South Korea. The Mayor is elected to a four-year term by the citizens of Seoul and is responsible for the administration of the City Government. The Seoul Metropolitan Government deals with administrative affairs as the capital City of South Korea.

The 69,950-capacity Seoul Olympic Stadium, also known as the Jamsil Olympic Stadium, is a multipurpose stadium in Seoul, South Korea. It is the main stadium built for the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 10^th Asian Games in 1986.

The 2036 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXVI Olympiad, is a forthcoming international multisport event. The winning bid for the Host City might be announced between 2025 and 2029. Many Cities want to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, including London (UK), Doha (Qatar) and Ahmedabad (India).

‘Korea JoonAng Daily’ further stated that the exterior of the structure will be preserved, with only the interior renovated.

The makeover will be completed by December 2026.

The Mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-hoon said during the Seoul Olympic Legacy Forum held last year that he would “host another Seoul Olympics” by renovating the existing sports facilities.

The Seoul Olympic Stadium was built in 1984 ahead of the Seoul Olympics. It was designed by the renowned Korean architect Kim Swoo-geun.

The total number of seats will be reduced from 65,000 to 60,000, but the seats will be more convenient.

Many of the seats currently at the venue are small and lack backrests.

The City Government said some 30,000 seats will be replaced during the renovation. The other 30,000 seats were already renovated ahead of the National Sports Festival held in 2019.

Around 350 seats will be added for those with disabilities.

An additional screen will be placed in the Northern part of the stadium. Currently, there is only one screen located in the Southern part.

A 30-meter-wide public square will be constructed to connect the Han River and Tancheon, a tributary of the Han River.

The Sports and living facilities will be expanded by constructing gymnastics and housing facilities for the athletes.

Along with the remodeling of the stadium, the Jamsil Students’ Gymnasium located in the Southeastern part of the complex will be moved to the Southwest. The new gymnasium will likely have pools for swimming and diving.

The City Government added that the stadium will use an environmentally friendly airconditioning system to reduce energy waste, cutting the energy usage by 35 percent with hydrothermal energy from the Han River.

The August 29^th renovation comes as the Metropolitan Government plans to revamp the Jamsil Sports Complex areas into a hub for meetings, incentives conferences and exhibitions, or MICE, a type of tourism that attracts large groups of people for business gatherings or retreats.

A spokesperson for the City Government said, “The City Government will try its best to rebirth the facility as a City landmark and a complex for culture and sports that preserves the history as the venue that hosted the Seoul Olympics in 1988.”

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