Pyeongchang Wins 2018 Winter Games (Analysis)

Wednesday, Pyeongchang, South Korea was awarded the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, after a landslide secret ballot victory over the two European candidates, Munich, Germany and Annecy, France. 

The South Korean winter sports haven, needing only 54 votes to win on the first ballot, received 63 votes to easily outdistance Munich (25) and Annecy (7). For a variety of reasons, 15 International Olympic Committee members did not participate in the voting.   

Pyeongchang, a narrow loser to Vancouver and Sochi, Russia in the past two votes to be Winter Olympic host city, stressed that 19 of the past 21 Winter Games had been hosted by cities in Europe and North America. The South Korean bid was bolstered by the personal appearance of President Lee Myung-bak, who made a personal pitch for the 2018 Games at this week's IOC General Assembly in Durban, South Africa. Pyeongchang becomes the first Asian city, outside of Japan, to host the Winter Olympics.  

Munich failed in its bid to be the first location to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics. However, the Bavarian capital will be the huge favorite for 2022, if they bid, but the vote will not take place until 2015.