A hundred days before next year's Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon-do Province, bobsledder So Jae-hwan (fifth from left) and figure skater Youn Seojin (sixth from left) on Oct. 11 jointly light the Olympic torch at a ceremony to begin the competition's torch relay at Seoul Plaza in the capital's Jung-gu District. From left are Lee Sang-Hwa, co-president of the competition's organizing committee; Yun Sungbin, promotional ambassador of the games; Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In Chon; committee co-president Jin Jongoh; So; Youn; Gangwon-do Province Gov. Kim Jin Tae; short track speedskater Park Ji-won; and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.

By Margareth Theresia
Photos = Heo Man-jin, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The torch relay for next year's Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon-do Province (Gangwon 2024) has arrived in Korea after the torch was lit in Greece on Oct. 3.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Oct. 11 held a ceremony to mark the 100-day countdown before the event's opening at Seoul Plaza in the city's Jung-gu District jointly with the competition's organizing committee and the province's government Gangwon State.

On the 100th day before the opening of the games, the event wished for a successful hosting of the event and marked the torch relay to cover the nation starting from Seoul. Among the 7,000 attendees there were newly appointed Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In Chon, Gangwon-do Gov. Kim Jin Tae, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, co-presidents of Gangwon 2024's organizing committee Lee Sang-Hwa and Jin Jongoh, promotional ambassadors Kim Yuna and Yun Sungbin, and Seoul residents.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-chon (second from right) on Oct. 11 receives the torch from Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon at a ceremony for the torch relay for next year's Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon-do Province at Seoul Plaza in the city's Jung-gu District.

At the ceremony, the committee's co-presidents Jin and Lee announced the start of the relay while holding a lamp containing the torch, which arrived in Korea on Oct. 8 after being collected from Greece.

The first relay runners were Gov. Kim and short track speedskater Park Ji-won, who received the torch from the lamp and passed it to Mayor Oh and track and field athlete Yang Seung-ju. They then passed the torch to Minister Yu and another track and field athlete, Lee Jong-won, who gave it to Yun, and eventually lighting the stand with the torch were figure skater Youn Seojin and bobsledder So Jae-hwan.

"Gangwon 2024 will become a platform where youth all over the world unite and cooperate for a better world," Minister Yu said. "We will thoroughly prepare over the remaining time so that this competition isn't just a success but also something that people around the globe will remember and cheer in their hearts."

After the ceremony, promotional ambassador Kim announced the competition's slogan "Shine Together," adding, "Gangwon 2024 will inform youth of joy and growth through sports and let them shine through their growth."

Starting at Seoul Plaza, the torch's national tour of 80 days spans key cities such as Busan (Oct. 14), Sejong (Oct. 25), Jeju Island (Oct. 28) and Gwangju (Nov. 4) before going to Gangwon-do's 18 cities and counties.

As the first Youth Winter Olympics held in Asia, Gangwon 2024 will run from Jan. 19 to Feb. 1 in and around the province's city of Gangneung and counties of Pyeongchang-gun, Jeongseon-gun and Hoengseong-gun. An estimated 1,900 young athletes ages 15-18 from about 70 countries will compete in 15 events.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In Chon (fourth from left) and other attendees of the torch relay ceremony for next year's Youth Winter Olympics in Gangwon-do Province on Oct. 11 pose for a group photo 100 days before the start of the competition at Seoul Plaza in the capital's Jung-gu District, wishing for a successful hosting of the games.