By Sohn JiAe

The flame to light next year’s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games arrived in Korea from Greece on Nov. 1, beginning the 100-day countdown to the Opening Ceremony.

The Olympic torch has now returned to the country for the first time in 30 years, after the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games.

The flame was carried from the airplane by Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Do Jongwhan and PyeongChang honorary ambassador Kim Yuna. Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon and Kim Yuna then touched the flame to the Olympic torch.

The first torch bearer was figure skater You Young who jogged along the Incheon Bridge. Following her, a total of 101 runners were part of the day's torch relay, covering a total of 19.7 kilometers. There were 14.7 kilometers on the bridge and then five kilometers in Songdo-si. Among the 101 torch bearers, there was show-biz celebrity Yoo Jae-suk, member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Ryu Seung-min and speed skater Lee Sang-hwa.



Prime Minister Lee said that, "The PyeongChang torch will be carried by a total of 7,500 runners across 2,018 kilometers nationwide until the Olympic Games begin next year.” The number 7,500 represents the approximate population of South and North Korea combined -- 75 million people -- in the hopes that both Korean teams will be able to join the PyeongChang Olympics.

“This torch will light the flame at the Opening Ceremony in exactly 100 days, on Feb. 9, 2018, at the PyeongChang Olympic Plaza. Just as the name of the host city, Pyeongchang, is a combination of the words pyeong (평) meaning ‘peace’ and chang (창) meaning ‘prosperity,’ so, too, the PyeongChang Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will contribute to peace and prosperity all around the world, as well as in Korea,” he said.

After Incheon, the torch relay will head to Jeju Island on Nov. 2, and then will continue to Busan, Ulsan, Gyeongsangnam-do, Jeollanam-do, Gwangju, Jeollabuk-do, Chungcheongnam-do, Daejeon, Sejong-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Daegu, Gyeonggi-do, Incheon, Seoul and, lastly, Gangwon-do where the torch will finally light the Olympic flame during the Opening Ceremony.



jiae5853@korea.kr