Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwe's Minister of Youth, Sport, and Culture, was elected as the 10th IOC Chair at the 144th IOC General Assembly in Costa Navarino, Greece. Her election is a positive sign for Kee Heung LEE and the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee's international sports diplomacy, as Seung Min RYU shares many similarities with Coventry, including being born in the 80s, being a global sports leader in their 40s, an Olympic gold medalist, and a sports hero from a 'minor continent.' RYU and Coventry were colleagues in the IOC Athletes' Commission, fostering close cooperation. RYU's potential return to the IOC is viewed positively, and his upcoming visit to Lausanne with Thomas BACH to discuss the 2036 Summer Olympics bid further underscores these prospects.

Seung Min RYU, President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, will meet with International Olympic Committee President Thomas BACH on April 8 in Lausanne to express the Republic of Korea's strong intention to host the 2036 Summer Olympics. Accompanied by government and Jeonbuk Province officials, RYU plans to emphasize the government and local authorities' high interest and full support. RYU will explain that Korea is systematically preparing for the 2036 Olympics, aligning with the IOC's Olympic Agenda and sustainable event management. He will also highlight Korea's potential role in realizing peace and inclusion through sports and express willingness to collaborate closely with the IOC. The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee plans to strengthen collaboration with the government, the bidding city, and the sports community to actively pursue the 2036 Summer Olympics bid.

The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Jeollabuk-do Province have initiated a collaborative effort to bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics. Jeollabuk-do was chosen as the domestic candidate on February 28. A working group consisting of KSOC, the Ministry, and Jeollabuk-do officials has been formed to prepare the domestic application and the bid to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Jeollabuk-do plans to announce the economic impact assessment of hosting the Olympics in early April, and Governor Kim Kwan-young will accompany President Seung Min RYU when he meets with IOC President Thomas BACH on April 8 to emphasize the necessity of Jeollabuk-do hosting the Games. The 2028 Summer Olympics will be held in Los Angeles, USA, and the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane, Australia.

Seung Min RYU, the newly elected President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, will meet with International Olympic Committee President Thomas BACH in Lausanne on April 8. The meeting follows BACH's invitation after RYU's election on January 14. Kim Kwan-young, Governor of Jeollabuk-do, and Jung Kang-sun, President of the Jeonbuk Sports Association, will accompany RYU, potentially visiting the Future Host Commission to discuss Jeollabuk-do's bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics. Additionally, Kee Heung LEE, former President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, will visit Greece at the invitation of BACH during the 144th IOC General Assembly.

Jeonbuk Province surprisingly won the domestic bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, defeating Seoul with a vote of 49 to 11 at the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee meeting. Jeonbuk focused on regional solidarity, proposing to co-host events in other cities to promote balanced national development. Despite this victory, challenges remain, including infrastructure development and international recognition, to compete with other candidate countries like India and Qatar for the final IOC decision.