(ATR) The Olympic Flag has arrived in PyeongChang, the 2018 Winter Games host city.
Since the symbolic handover of the flag at the Sochi 2014 closing ceremony on Sunday, it has journeyed from the Black Sea resort to South Korea.
On Tuesday, it arrived at Incheon International Airport where it was greeted with great fanfare. Dignitaries who attended the welcome ceremony included PyeongChang 2018 president and CEO Kim Jin-sun; sports minister Yoo Jinryong, Korean Olympic Committee chief Kim Jung-haeng and the city’s mayor Lee Seok-rae.
A day later a celebratory festival to welcome the Olympic flag was organized in Gangwon Province, where PyeongChang is located. The flag was paraded in all cities and counties in the province, including the 2018 host, and the venue cities Gangneung and Jeongseon.
Two Gangwon-born Olympic gold medalists in short-track speed skating (women’s 3,000 meter relay), Shim Seokhee and Gong Sangjeong attended the ceremony, as well as other speed skaters and bobsledders who competed at the Sochi Games.
The festival, which brought together thousands of Gangwon Province residents "to ignite their passion" for the 2018 Games, ended on Friday.
The Olympic flag will now be flown in front of the city hall in PyeongChang to commemorate the first Korean Winter Games.
Written by Mark Bisson.
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