South Korea opens nationwide bidding for two major sports and concert domes

South Korea has formally opened a nationwide competition to identify potential sites for two large-scale multipurpose domes designed to host sporting events and live performances.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched the application process on October 14, inviting metropolitan and provincial governments, along with eligible public institutions, to submit proposals.

The initiative calls for two separate venues: a large dome with at least 40,000 seats and capacity for more than 50,000 people, and a medium-sized dome with between 20,000 and 40,000 seats.

Both facilities are intended to support year-round programming, including international sporting competitions, domestic events and concerts.

Interested applicants must submit a statement of intent by October 28, followed by a full proposal by December 8.

An external evaluation committee will assess submissions based on proposed usage, site suitability, project feasibility and expected benefits. The ministry plans to announce its preferred candidate locations by the end of December.

The government is targeting completion in 2034, although construction is not yet approved. Preliminary research and planning are expected to continue through the first half of 2027, with further feasibility reviews scheduled afterward.

Importantly, selection as a candidate site would not itself constitute final project approval or guarantee construction.

For South Korea’s live-performance industry, the initiative represents a potential expansion of the country’s large-capacity concert infrastructure. Its immediate significance, however, is the start of a formal national selection process rather than the confirmation of two new operating venues.