Gwangju and Daegu are putting together a joint bid to host the 2038 Asian Games ©Getty Images

South Korean cities Gwangju and Daegu have been urged to gauge the opinions of citizens over a joint bid to stage the 2038 Asian Games and criticised for a lack of public dialogue.

A report jointly conducted by the Gwangju City Council and Daegu City Council claimed that a forum was held in August to brief the public on plans to host the Games in the two cities and hold discussions.

However, South Korean news agency Yonhap reports that the citizen briefing session did not take place, with the Gwangju City Council instead issuing a motion to garner support based on the results of a survey.

It has also been reported that the Gwangju-Daegu Joint Promotion Strategy Forum was staged on August 30 but was attended by more than 50 experts rather than the public.

Daegu City Council was expected to debate a proposal for a joint bid for the 2038 Asian Games at a recent meeting only to reportedly postpone discussions.

"As there are 15 years left until the [event], it is not too late to take enough time over two to three years and collect public opinion to promote a joint event," an official from Gwangju City Council said, as reported by Yonhap.

The councils' report also claimed that there was "no need for OCA [Olympic Council of Asia] to rush the selection of the next host city in 2038", per Yonhap.

Criticism has been levelled at Gwangju City Council and Daegu City Council for a lack of public discussion on plans to host the 2038 Asian Games ©Getty Images
Criticism has been levelled at Gwangju City Council and Daegu City Council for a lack of public discussion on plans to host the 2038 Asian Games ©Getty Images

Gwangju and Daegu have come under criticism from groups including Participatory Qi 21 which insisted that discussions around staging the Asian Games needed to be conducted "more seriously".

The group highlighted that a railway between the two cities is expected to be built regardless of the 2038 Asian Games host, as well as changing economic circumstances.

The 2038 Asian Games is the next available timeslot for the continental event, with the OCA having secured hosts for four future editions.

While Daegu and Gwangju have not staged the Asian Games before, they do have experience in putting on major sporting events and several existing facilities.

The 2003 Summer Universiade took place in Daegu, as did athletics' 2011 World Championships.

The 2015 Summer Universiade was in Gwangju, and so too was the 2019 World Aquatics Championships.

Gwangju and Daegu also both hosted FIFA World Cup matches in 2002.