The White House Octagon: Hall of Power or Private Playground? > News

The hottest issues surrounding this competition are the astronomical cost and the misuse of administrative power by seven government ministries. According to media reports and court documents, it was revealed that a huge budget of about 60 million dollars, or about 90 billion won in Korean money, was invested to build and operate the stadium. Seven federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Aviation Administration, have provided manpower and materials to transform the White House into a huge construction site, and hundreds of workers are being sent in every day after being screened by the Secret Service. Anti-corruption groups criticized this as inappropriate private use of federal facilities and a clear conflict of interest, and filed a lawsuit in court to stop the event. On the other hand, the government counters that the related expenses are entirely funded by the UFC and related organizations, but public suspicion about the situation in which a specific company's profit-making event is held in the center of national power has not subsided.

The scale and symbolism of the event are also so overwhelming that it is difficult to find any precedent. In addition to the 4,000-seat stadium installed inside the White House, the nearby Ellipse Park will have a large-screen cheering area that can accommodate up to 100,000 people, and a large-scale crowd gathering reminiscent of an Independence Day event is expected. To increase the buzz of the competition, commercial elements have been maximized, with the famous country band Zac Brown Band singing the national anthem and cryptocurrency sponsors offering bonuses worth billions of won to the winners. With title fights between leading UFC fighters such as Ilya Topuria and Justin Gaethje placed on the main card, it is poised to be remembered as a historic event for martial arts fans. However, behind this splendor, there are also concerns about the environmental and economic aftereffects of the event, such as a separate cost of close to a billion won just for lawn restoration after the competition ends.

In addition to the legal battle, another variable that threatens the hosting of the competition is unpredictable weather conditions. Washington, D.C.'s June weather is famous for its unpredictable weather, and with storms and thunderstorms forecast for the day of the Games, organizers are working hard to develop contingency plans. The UFC is showing its intention to go ahead with light rain, but if lightning strikes within 8 miles of the White House, the match must be stopped immediately in accordance with safety regulations. CEO Dana White is maintaining a strong stance to go ahead with the show even in bad weather, but the fact that the will of power can be neutralized in the face of the forces of nature clearly shows the vulnerability of this event. Sports fans around the world are watching with bated breath to see how flexible the cause of a historic outdoor sports event can be in the face of the realistic barrier of bad weather.

American society’s perspectives on this incident are sharply divided. On the one hand, it is accepted as a national festival commemorating the president's special birthday, while on the other hand, there is strong resistance to a situation where the nation's symbolic space is mobilized to satisfy the personal tastes of those in power. In fact, there is also strong criticism that this UFC event is being used as a tool for political division, with a ‘No Kings’ counter-concert featuring famous celebrities being planned in New York on the day of the event. Civil society groups' claims that public assets such as the White House and the Lincoln Memorial have been turned into political propaganda tools for certain people raise serious questions about the standards for using facilities in democratic countries. Regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit, this event is expected to serve as an opportunity to reignite discussions about the U.S. administration's facility use norms and public service ethics in the future.