(ATR) The capital city of South Korea is stepping in to play an important role for the 2018 Winter Games.
The PyeongChang 2018 Organizing Committee today (June 7) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Seoul Metropolitan Government for Games support.Under the newly signed MOU agreement, Seoul will assist PyeongChang organizers with promoting the Games through city owned communication tools such as billboards, large video screens, newsletters, leaflets and on its official website. The Korean capital city will also provide workforce staff and resources support for Games operations, cultural events and the torch relay.
Seoul is the largest metropolis in South Korea with a population of 10 million and the former host of the 1988 Summer Olympics. However, despite speculation, the capital city will not host any Winter Olympic events in 2018. Ice hockey and the new snowboard big air event had been rumored to take place in Seoul.
New POCOG president Hee-beom Lee, who just assumed the position from Yang-ho Cho after the latter unexpectedly resigned on May 3, said the agreement is an important step in delivery of successful Games.
"Close cooperation and collaboration with the capital city of Seoul during the remaining months will be vital for the successful preparation of the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games," Lee said.
"I look forward to the support and participation of the ten million Seoulites, since the many spectators and team officials visiting PyeongChang will also be interested in the fun features that Seoul has to offer," he said.
Seoul Mayor Won-soon Park also welcomed the agreement while touching upon the legacy of the Seoul 1988 Olympics.
"PyeongChang 2018 will be the second edition of the Olympic Games held in Korea, 30 years after the Seoul 1988 Summer Games," Park said.
"I hope it will be an opportunity for all of us to feel the passion again. The Metropolitan Government of Seoul will act as a sincere and strong partner for the success of the 2018 Winter Games."
A high-speed railway link connecting Seoul and PyeongChang is under construction and expected to be completed by July 2017, just seven months before the Games. Expected to operate at a maximum speed of 250km per hour, the KTX network trains will significantly reduce the commute time to just over an hour between the two hubs.
There are just over 600 days until the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games take place from Feb. 9-25.
Written by Brian Pinelli
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