IOC: Preparations for 2018 going smoothly

The delegation of the International Olympic Committee said yesterday that preparations for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang are going well, although a few problems were raised at the press conference.

At the Alpensia Resort in Pyeongchang, Gangwon, members from the IOC Coordination Commission, chaired by Gunilla Lindberg, and the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee held a press conference to discuss the ongoing preparation process for Korea’s first Winter Games.

The IOC members had a three-day visit to Pyeongchang starting on Tuesday.

The delegates said they were impressed with the support of the government as well as its cooperation with the Korean Olympic Committee.

“We were pleased by the high quality of presentations that were delivered by the very capable team at Pyeongchang 2018,” Lindberg said.

“They have a good grasp of what is expected of them and what they need to accomplish.”

There were issues of local environmental groups opposing the construction of the ski slope at Chung-bong Peak of Mountain Gariwang, but the organizing committee promised the IOC that the problem will be resolved peacefully.

“We will form a committee that includes environmental organizations and will have our first meeting on Friday,” Gangwon Governor Choi Moon-soon said.

It was also reported that some IOC members asked questions about Pyeongchang’s transportation plan regarding the railway system, but the organizing committee said that the issue is currently being worked on.

Pyeongchang previously promised to construct a high-speed rail between Incheon International Airport and Pyeongchang.

“I told the IOC Commission Committee that we can carry out our original plan as we showed them during the bidding campaign,” said Kim Jin-sun, head of the Pyeongchang Organizing Committee.

By Joo Kyung-don [kjoo@joongang.co.kr]