Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn speaks during the 11th meeting of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Support Committee, at the Government Complex Seoul on April 21.
By Sohn JiAe
Photos = Prime Minister’s Office
“We must make an all-out effort in the days leading up to next year’s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, so as to send to the world a new message of hope at an overwhelming moment,” said Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on April 21.
The remarks came during the 11th gathering of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Support Committee. It brought together people involved in preparations for the Olympic Winter Games, giving them a chance to review the overall state of construction on the transportation and infrastructure sites.
The acting president emphasized that, “Issues that have been raised by athletes and representatives from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in a series of test events should be dealt with thoroughly to make the Olympic Winter Games as perfect as possible.”
“In particular, safety at the facilities should be ensured. We should also brace for extreme weather events, like heavy snow or abnormal heat,” he said. As he called the Olympic Games “the first large-scale international event for the new administration that is sure to be a success,” the acting president said, “Challenges that have so far been discussed over the past few months should be properly taken care of so that the next administration can continue to work well on the Olympic Winter Games.”
Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn stresses that, ‘Preparations for the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Games should be carried out precisely and thoroughly so as to meet the needs of visitors coming to Korea,” during the 11th Support Committee for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games on April 21.
At the meeting were officials from the ministries of Strategy and Finance, of the Interior, of Trade, of Industry and Energy, and of Culture, Sports and Tourism. There were also representatives from Gangwon-do Province and the PyeongChang organizing committee.
The province’s representatives reported that construction on a total of 12 sporting venues in the three host cities — Pyeongchang, Gangneung and Jeongseon — and 16 highways and road projects leading to the venues are currently 95 percent and 64 percent complete, respectively.
The culture ministry said that it has been working all out to help restaurants produce menus that can be read by non-Korean customers, as well as to improve accommodations in the host cities.
jiae5853@korea.kr
