It’s only 364 days until next year’s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games!

In just under one year, the global winter sports festival will get started in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do Province.

The one-year countdown for the Winter Olympic Games officially started ticking on Feb. 9 at the “One Year to Go Ceremony” in Gangneung, one of the three host cities, alongside Pyeongchang and Jeongseon.

The ceremony began with former figure skating champion Kim Yuna, who currently serves as an honorary ambassador for the PyeongChang Games, revealing the official Olympic torch.



Amid cheers from the audience, the Olympic gold medalist passed the torch to cross-country skier Magnus Kim. The skier, in the official uniform for next year’s torchbearers, which, too, made its first public appearance here, is seen as one of Korea's most promising rising Olympians.

The white Olympic torch is designed to withstand any harsh weather, strong winds or snowstorms. The ever-flaming torch will bring moments of hope and delight to audiences from around the world.



A series of song and dance performances ensued. A choir of 2,018 members, in honor of it being the 2018 Winter Games, sang the song “We Are The Champions” by the British rock group Queen. Then it sang the theme song “Butter Fly” from the movie “Take Off” (국가대표) (2009), which tells the touching true story of the Korean ski-jumping team. These songs sent a message in-line with the official Olympic slogan: “Passion. Connected" (하나된 열정).



“Today’s ceremony was an opportunity to envision what next year’s winter sporting festival in Pyeongchang could look like,” said acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn in his speech. “I have vivid memories of July 2011 in Durban, South Africa, when Pyeongchang was nominated as the host city for the 23rd Olympic Winter Games. At that time, Koreans everywhere became united,” he said.

The acting president concluded by saying that, “Over the past five and a half years, we’ve made flat-out efforts, even under many difficulties, to get things done in preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games. I trust in the strength that the nation has in reserve to make the games as successful as we did with the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Let’s go for it, hand-in-hand, until the Olympic torch begins to blaze in Pyeongchang.”

“One year from now, the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang will be your moment to amaze the world,” said President Thomas Bach of the International Olympic Committee in a video message. “The Olympic Games will open a new horizon. They will connect the people and passion of Korea with the world. Pyeongchang will transform into a hub for Asian winter sports,” he said.

By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Jeon Han Korea.net Photographer
jiae5853@korea.kr