(ATR) South Korean President Moon Jae-In officially opened the 2018 Winter Paralympics, the largest ever.
Forty-eight countries and Neutral Paralympic Athletes marched into PyeongChang Olympic Stadium to kickstart the Opening Ceremony. The Games feature 567 athletes, nearly 20 more than the Sochi Paralympics. Three countries Georgia, North Korea, and Tajikistan are making Winter Paralympic debuts.
The ceremony featured K-pop performances, speeches by dignitaries, and attendance by Moon and IOC President Thomas Bach.
IPC President Andrew Parsons opened his first Paralympics after his election victory last September. In his speech Parsons discussed how all Paralympians "start with a dream" that will become reality at the Games.
"Over the next 10 days, billions of people around the world will witness dreams becoming true here in PyeongChang," Parsons said.
Six sports will take center stage in PyeongChang, alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, sledge hockey, snowboarding, and wheelchair curling.
Click here to view a photo gallery from reporter Hironori Hashimoto showcasing the Opening Ceremony.
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