The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on Tuesday announced that the
South Korean city Incheon has become the host of the 2014 Asian
Games.
Incheon has had a fierce competition with New Delhi of India,
where the first Asian Games was held in and then hosted the Asian
Games in 1982.
Incheon, the third biggest city of South Korea, will be the
third South Korean city to host the quadrennial Asian Games,
following Busan in 2002 and Seoul in 1986.
Located about 80 kilometers west of Seoul, with a population of
2.74 million, Incheon has promised that it would raise a fund worth
20 million U.S. dollars to support Asian countries that have not
yet won a medal in the Games.
Furthermore, in its 40-minute presentation to the OCA on
Tuesday, Incheon added a new offer of free flights as well as
accommodations to all participants in the Asiad 2014.
"From now on, we will prepare for the perfect games during the
next seven years to cooperate with the government," said Ahn
Sang-soo, mayor of Incheon.
To be the host city, the major continued, will help Incheon to
fulfill its ambition of a free trade zone and a Northeast Asia's
business hub.
(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2007)