On the Scene - South Korean Skiers Head North, IOC Chief Sees Village

(ATR) With only a week to go before the first competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics, South Korean skiers flew to North Korea for training at the Masikryong Ski Resort.

The joint training is one of the exchanges initiated by the dialogue between the separate Koreas over North Korea participation at the Games.

The Ministry of Unification says the 45 member delegation flew via charter plane from Yanyang International Airport in eastern Gangwon Province Wednesday morning. The airport is about 60km north of Gagneung, the closest airport to PyeongChang. But it is primarily used by charter aircraft ferrying in summer holiday-makers to the East Sea coast.

The ministry says the team from the South with take part in a two-day training camp with North Korean athletes in alpine and cross country skiing.

The group returns via air on Feb.1, accompanied by North Korean skiers who will take part in the Winter Olympics.

To avoid violation of U.S. sanctions against North Korea, the South Korean government was granted an exception to allow the charter flight.

South Korea will send 144 athletes in all 15 sports of the 2018 Games. North Korea will send 22 athletes competing in five sports.

IOC President Inspects Olympic Village

In his second day in PyeongChang, IOC President Thomas Bach inspects the Olympic Village and other venues.

Seung Min Ryu, table tennis gold medalist, IOC member and mayor of the main Olympic Village at PyeongChang said the IOC chief was happy with that he saw during a visit.

"I'm doing my best to create the best environment for athletes and help them feel at home," Ryu said.

Ki Hoon Kim, Korea’s first gold medalist in short track speed skating, is the mayor for the Gangneung Olympic Village. The coastal cluster of events includes the ice sports such of skating, hockey and curling.

The official opening of the village takes place Thursday.

The PyeongChang Village has 600 rooms in an eight building complex. The coastal cluster village has nine buildings with 922 apartments.

U.S. Abandons Ambassador Choice

Despite intentions to nominate a new ambassador to South Korea before the 2018 Olympics, the White House is abandoning its pick after months of consideration.

Victor Cha, a Georgetown University professor and an adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies was in line for the position, open now for more than a year.

The Washington Post and New York Times report that Cha’s opposition to Trump Administration policy towards North Korea may have been the problem. While he had not been formally nominated, months were spent winning clearance to proceed, including from the South Korean government.

Cha might even have had a chance to be a part of the official U.S. delegation to the Olympics. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife will lead the group, the other members still undisclosed.

Reported by Ed Hula.

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