‘Passion.Connected’: 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games

After a six-year journey toward the successful hosting of PyeongChang 2018, and now with winter coming, there is only one day to go until the Olympic Games and the excitement is building.

The South Korean Government and people have joined hands to successfully hold the PyeongChang Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. 

In particular, Korea hopes that like the Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics served as an opportunity to overcome the Cold War between the East and West and promote unity, the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, the second Olympics in the Republic of Korea, will provide the momentum for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, in Northeast Asia and around the world by becoming a driving force behind the resumption of inter-Korean talks and North Korea’s participation in the Olympics.

Marking another chapter in the history of the Olympic Games, the PyeongChang 2018 Games will be an excellent opportunity to further promote Olympic values in Asia. Korea will host the first of the next series of Games to be held in Asia, followed by the Tokyo Summer Olympics 2020 and the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022. 

Asia in particular is a blank canvas in terms of winter sports and has immeasurable potential to open new horizons in the field. PyeongChang is dedicated to promoting winter sports and attracting investment throughout Asia.

New horizons

PyeongChang is located on a mountain range in the east of South Korea at an altitude of 700 metres above sea level. With long winters and heavy snow, it is an ideal setting for winter sports such as skiing. PyeongChang is a place which serves to nurture snow sports and is in fact home to many national skiers.

With its favourable geographic location in Asia and access to emerging and fast-growing markets, PyeongChang 2018 hopes to create a legacy of new growth and potential. Indeed, PyeongChang 2018’s vision is to open up “new horizons” for the Olympic Movement and for the world of winter sports. The organising committee aspires to expand winter sports in Asia and transform Gangwon Province into a winter sports hub and tourist destination. 

With the optimised design of the venue, all Games-related facilities are located within a 30-minute radius of the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium and Plaza. Accordingly, participating athletes, spectators and media will be able to easily travel between venues. This will be conducive to a competition-centered and athlete-oriented Games, where everyone will be able to enjoy optimum performances by athletes.

Korean culture and festival

Along with an array of sports competitions, the Cultural Olympiad for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games will offer an exciting program of culture, entertainment, festivals and educational activities held across the country which aims to connect everyone to the Games.

As athletes, officials and spectators start to arrive in PyeongChang, the 40-day festival will welcome them all and run through until the final day of the Paralympic Winter Games on 18 March. Festival highlights include exhibitions and performances of leading traditional and contemporary South Korean artists. There will also be street parades, cheering events and K-pop concerts. 

Olympic torch relay

The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Torch Relay began in Korea with the arrival of the Olympic flame on 1 November 2017, which also marked 100 days to the Olympic Winter Games opening ceremony. Seven thousand five hundred torchbearers have travelled 2018 km by various means of transportation representing the past, present and future of Korea.  The torch relay will unite the nation and serve to share the Olympic spirit as the Olympic flame makes its way across Korea (https://www.pyeongchang2018.com/en/torch-relay).The President of the Organizing Committee for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic and Paralympic Games, Lee Hee-beom, remarked: “After years of planning and preparation, we are about to start the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games. We are putting the final touches on what will be the biggest Winter Games ever. 

“It will also be a Winter Games that will open up new horizons for Gangwon Province as a tourist destination, and Asia as a winter sports hub for us all to enjoy for many years to come. Now is the time to share the passion and plan your Olympic and Paralympic journey with us. We are ready to showcase the best of winter sports and welcome the world-class athletes who will come to PyeongChang to go for gold.”

For further information on the PyeongChang 2018 Games and ticket sales visit www.pyeongchang2018.com and www.tickets.pyeongchang2018.com.