Korean Olympic Committee
Pyeongchang was unanimously selected over Muju by the Korean Olympic Committee in December 2004, and was the first city to submit its bid to the International Olympic Committee. The bid launched a full-scale campaign after losing the 2010 race by a mere three votes to Vancouver. The 2014 project concentrated all venues within one hour of Pyeongchang, and called for huge sums of investment into new infrastructure and sporting venues, including the new Alpensia Resort. The sporting event was touted as promoting a message of peace and harmony in the divided country.