Gallup Korea Poll Shows 49% Of Koreans Not Interested In Winter Olympics

A nationwide survey conducted by Gallup Korea "found that less than half of the citizens of South Korea are at all interested in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics," which will open next Feb. 9 in the city of PyeongChang, according to Philip Brasor of POLL STAR PRO. The survey covered about 1,000 people and is said to have a margin of error of plus/minus 3.1% and a 95% level of confidence, according to the Yonhap news service. Among the respondents, 48% said that "they were interested in the Winter Olympics" and 49% said that "they were not interested." Within the latter group, 19% actually said they had "zero interest" in the Games. Gallup's analysis said that South Koreans have lost interest in int'l sports competitions "in general" since the '90s. That feeling "could be reversed if local Olympic officials carried out more aggressive promotional activities." A '14 poll that found 64% percent of South Koreans "were interested in the Sochi Winter Games about a week before the competition began." Broken down into specifics, the "most popular event among South Koreans is figure skating," with 34% showing interest, followed by short track events and speed skating (POLL STAR PRO, 2/15).