GANGWON-DO < invest Korea

According to Yonhap News,

(SEOUL=Yonhap News) A series of cultural festivities and exhibitions will commemorate the two-year countdown of the first Winter Olympics in South Korea, the competition's organizers said Thursday.

The organizing committee for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games said cultural events have been scheduled from this month to next February, across Gangwon Province, the home province of PyeongChang in the eastern part of the nation, and other parts in South Korea to raise the profile of the Olympics.

The PyeongChang Games will go from Feb. 9 to 25 in 2018.

The organizers said they will install sculptures and other artworks introducing winter sports in major public spaces, such as the Olympic Park in Seoul and Haeundae Beach in the southern port city of Busan. Interactive halls allowing the general public to experience winter sports will also be set up.

Gangneung, one of the Olympic subhosts in Gangwon Province, will be home to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics promotional center.

In February, PyeongChang and Gangneung will each host an Olympic-themed festival, featuring cultural performances and serving local food to visitors. The organizers said they hope existing art and cultural festivals in the Gangwon region will also promote the Olympics.

"The month of February in 2016 will be an important period for us to start building excitement for the Olympics," said Yeo Hyung-koo, secretary general of the organizing committee. "These upcoming events will go a long way toward piquing the public's interest in the Olympics and encourage their participation."

jeeho@yna.co.kr

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