Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018

Games Period: 9 - 25 February 2018 (17 days)
Venue Location: PyeongChang, Gangneung, Jeongseon

[Introduction]
The XXIII Olympic Winter Games will be held for 17 days from 9 to 25 February 2018 in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, the Republic of Korea. PyeongChang was selected as the host city of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games after receiving a majority vote at the 123rd IOC Session held on 6 July 2011 after three consecutive bids. The Olympic Winter Games will be held in Korea for the first time in 30 years after the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988. PyeongChang will be the stage for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and most snow sports. Alpine speed events will take place in Jeongseon, and all ice sports will be competed in the coastal city of Gangneung.

[Vision]
The world’s best athletes will compete on Asia’s centre stage to launch New Horizons in winter sports and create a sustainable legacy for Gangwon Province and the Republic of Korea.

[Goals of PyeongChang 2018]

• The Olympic Games without language barriers will be realized through the world’s best automatic interpretation and translation technologies.
• We will reinforce cooperation so that we can promote the ICT and related convergence industries and tourism in Korea.

[Slogan]

Passion.Connected.

Passion.Connected refers to a world in which everyone is connected with shared passion for winter sports, a world open to any generation anywhere, anytime, to open new horizons in the continued growth of winter sports.

'Passion' means a very strong feeling, affection and something one is fond of. PyeongChang is a place of global festivals that inspires each other and symbolises a place where Koreans share their warm affection. It also expresses the Olympic spirit and the warm heartedness of Koreans.

'Connected' means to link, join, combine, bridge , and understand. PyeongChang is a place where all generations can participate and inspire each other anytime and anywhere through Korea’s innovative technology and cultural convergence, and it means opening a new horizon for a new beginning, a harmonized world and the Olympic Winter Games.

[Emblem]

The emblem symbolises a world open to everyone. It combines the image of ice and snow, winter sports stars (athletes), and people from all over the world, coming together in PyeongChang where heaven meets earth.

[Sports]

Athletes taking part in the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 will compete in 102 events in 15 sport disciplines. The Games will be the first ever Olympic Winter Games with over 100 gold medals.

In particular, 6 new events such as Snowboard Big Air (men, women), Speed Skating Mass Start (men, women), Curling Mixed Doubles, Alpine Skiing Team Event will be added to the programme. PyeongChang 2018 will also be the stage for the greatest number of women’s and mixed events in the history of Olympic Winter Games.

[Mascot]

Soohorang, the mascot of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 took its motif from white tiger, which has been long considered Korea’s guardian animal. “Sooho”, meaning protection in Korean, symbolises protection offered to the athletes, spectators and other participants in the 2018 Games. “Rang” comes from the middle letter of “Ho-rang-i”, the Korean word for “Tiger”, and is also the last letter of “Jeong-seon A-ri-rang”, a cherished traditional folk song of Gangwon Province, where the Games will be held. Soohorang not only has a dauntless spirit and passion but also is a trustworthy friend who protects the athletes, spectators and all participants in the Olympic Games.