Busan will bid to host the 2009 International Olympic Committee Assembly and Olympic Congress.

The government on Friday launched a task force with some 160 members representing the Busan city government and civic groups.

Busan submitted its official application Monday to IOC headquarters after the Korea Olympics Committee on September 13th selected the city as its candidate site.

Busan will compete against Prague, Lausanne, Cairo, Warsaw, Athens, Taipei and five other cities.

From October 26th to 28th, the IOC executive committee in Lausanne will review applications to select four or five finalists.

The congress will announce the winner by February 10th in Torino, Italy.