[PyeongChang 2018] Alibaba opens cloud tech showcase at PyeongChang Olympics

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province -- Alibaba Group Holdings, the official cloud services and e-commerce partner for the Olympics until 2028, has opened a new cloud technology showcase space at the Gangneung Olympic Park.　The PyeongChang Winter Games is the first Olympic Games for Alibaba to act as an official sponsor and promote its cloud vision for the international sporting event.The Alibaba cloud technology showcase is an interactive space that shows athletes, spectators and Olympic organizers how

Olympic GamesFeb. 11, 2018

[Graphic News] Winter Olympic Games: Skeleton

　Skeleton competitors ride a small lightweight sled head first down an ice course while lying flat on their stomachs. The sport was once considered too dangerous for the Olympics. Two gold medals are on offer, for men’s and women’s singles. Unlike the luge, there are no doubles or team events. 　Skeleton was reintroduced to the Olympic program for the Salt Lake City Games in 2002, with a woman’s event added. Sliders speed down ice tracks 1,200 to 1,500 meters long.

Olympic GamesFeb. 11, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Meet Olympic pin traders

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province -- Daniel Presburger might not have competed in any Olympic Games, but he has been to 14 of them -- all in the name of collecting pins. Olympic pin trader Daniel Presburger (center) displays his pins Saturday at the Gangneung Olympic Park, Gangwon Province. Bak Se-hwan/The Korea HeraldWhile many are attending the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics as spectators, Presburger came to South Korea from Los Angeles to trade tiny, colorful enamel pins and buttons that come in

Olympic GamesFeb. 11, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] EXO, CL to perform at Olympics closing ceremony

K-pop boy group EXO and rapper CL of now-defunct K-pop girl group 2NE1 will grace the closing ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.The two global K-pop acts confirmed Wednesday that they will perform at the closing ceremony that will take place at the PyeongChang Olympic Stadium on Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. local time. (YG Entertainment, S.M. Entertainment)Dubbed “the biggest boyband in the world,” eight-piece boy band EXO has been on a winning streak since its debut in 2011. The group’s “Th

Olympic GamesFeb. 11, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Joint Korean hockey team smallest, youngest in women's tournament

In losing to Switzerland 8-0 in their opening game of the women's ice hockey tournament at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, the joint Korean team got pushed around from start to finish while managing just eight shots on net.In the aftermath, head coach Sarah Murray and her players blamed the disastrous performance on nerves.None of this should have come as a surprise, for Korea is the smallest and youngest team in the women's competition.With an average height of 160 centimeters for its 23 South

More SportsFeb. 11, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Korea finishes 9th in short programs of figure skating team event

GANGNEUNG -- Korea finished ninth after four short programs of the figure skating team event Sunday at the ongoing PyeongChang Olympics.The host country is not eligible to participate in the free programs of the team event to be held later in the day and Monday, while only the top five countries of Canada, the Olympic Athletes from Russia, the United States, Japan and Italy will compete in the medal-deciding sessions.Korea's teenage skater Choi Da-bin performed a clean program to gain her person

SportsFeb. 11, 2018

[Newsmaker] Kim Il-sung’s face haunts South Koreans amid PyeongChang festivities

It has been 24 years since North Korean founder Kim Il-sung died, but the face of the man who started the reclusive regime has sparked furor among Koreans with the “Kim Il-sung mask” controversy.The unified Korean women’s hockey team -- the first unified Korean team in the Olympics -- faced Switzerland in a well-fought, but ultimately defeated, match. During the game, the group of supporters from North Korea were seen cheering the unified team while wearing a mask of a young man. After the image

Olympic GamesFeb. 11, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] IOC medical director impressed by local authorities' effort to contain norovirus

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea -- International Olympic Committee Medical Director Richard Budgett said Sunday he was impressed by local authorities' efforts to contain norovirus here. The local organizers said that, as of Saturday, 158 cases of norovirus infections have been confirmed, but no athletes have been affected by the outbreak. Of the infected, the organizers said 139 have recovered, while 19 are still being monitored in order to prevent any risk of the illness spreading. The contagious viru

More SportsFeb. 11, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Joint women's hockey team looks to bounce back

PYEONGCHANG -- The joint Korean women's hockey team will look to have a bounceback game against Sweden in its second game of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics on Monday.Korea was hammered by the sixth-ranked Switzerland 8-0 on Saturday at Kwandong Hockey Centre in Gangneung, the host city of all ice events, located just east of PyeongChang. Despite 6,000 raucous, partisan fans behind them, including South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the unified team barely put up a fight, managing just eight sho

More SportsFeb. 11, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] On Social Media: Korean women’s ice hockey team’s Olympic debut

The much-awaited Olympic debut of Korean women’s ice hockey team took place on Saturday night.The team, which is the first in Olympic history to have athletes from both Koreas, lost 8-0 to Switzerland.Here is what’s being talked about the historic match on social media, including the North Korean cheerleaders, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, among others.“Hats off to her”“Hats off to her” Swiss goalie @schellingf gave a shout out to Team Korea goalie So Jung Shin, who made 44 saves on 52 sho

Olympic GamesFeb. 11, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] PyeongChang Day 2: What’s trending

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province -- The PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games is now well into its second day. Here is what’s trending in South Korea and abroad right now.　Kim Young-nam, (top row, left) the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of North Korea, tears up while watching athletes from South Korea and North Korea march under the Korea Unification Flag during the 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony at PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, Friday. To the right of Kim Young-nam

Olympic GamesFeb. 10, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Koreas' first unifed women's hockey team falls 8-0 in Olympic debut

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province -- The unified Korean women’s hockey team lost 8-0 against Switzerland on Saturday’s preliminary round match, but there was an unmistakable good feeling among the South Korean audience. The combined athletes created a symbol of good will between the two Koreas that have been divided for over 70 years. For the first time in any Olympics, the two countries still technically at war joined up to compete together in a unified team Korea at the Kwandong Hockey Center in Gan

Olympic GamesFeb. 10, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Lim Hyo-jun secures S. Korea's first gold in PyeongChang Olympics

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province -- Lim Hyo-jun secured South Korea’s first medal of the PyeongChang Olympics on Saturday with gold in men’s short track speedskating.Lim won the race in 2 minutes and 10.485 seconds, a new games record, in the final on the men’s 1,500 meters at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. Lim Hyo-jun wins gold (Yonhap)Fellow South Korean and world No. 1 Hwang Dae-heon fell while in third with two laps to go, and did not finish.Earlier in the day Choi Min-je

Olympic GamesFeb. 10, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] S. Korean team sets games record in ladies' 3,000m relay heat 1 despite fall

South Korea won its heat in the women's 3,000-meter short track speedskating relay at the PyeongChang Olympics on Saturday, despite a fall early on.Sim Suk-hee, Choi Min-jeong, Kim Ye-jin and Lee Yu-bin skated to a new Olympic record 4minutes and 6.387 seconds in heat 1 of the competition at the Gangneung Ice Arena.South Korean short track speedskater Lee Yu-bin (left) tags in teammate Choi Min-jeong during heat 1 of the women`s 3,000-meter relay at the Gangneung Ice Arena on Saturday. (Yonhap)L

Olympic GamesFeb. 10, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] S. Korea's Choi Min-jeong loses 500m silver on penalty

South Korea's teenager Choi Min-jeong lost the silver medal in the women's 500 meter short track speed skating event on a penalty on Tuesday at the ongoing PyeongChang Winter Olympics.Choi Min-jeong (Yonhap)In the finals of the event, held at the Gangneung Ice Arena, the world No. 1 crossed the finish line a short distance after Arianna Fontana of Italy.   But the judges assessed a penalty to Choi, citing impeding.   Due to Choi's elimination, Yara van Kerkhof of the Netherlands and Kim Boutin o

Olympic GamesFeb. 10, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Meet Inmyeonjo, the new, unofficial mascot of PyeongChang

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province -- It seems like the PyeongChang Winter Games has a new, unofficial mascot: a human-faced bird named Inmyeonjo. The Inmyeonjo stages a performance at the PyeongChang Olympics opening ceremony at PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, Friday. (Lee Sang-sub/The Korea Herald) The bird, which appears in tomb paintings from Korea’s ancient kingdom of Goguryeo, was featured during the opening

Olympic GamesFeb. 10, 2018

[Photo News] North Korean cheerleaders scenestealers at short track

Some 100 North Korean cheerleaders sang in unison for the Korean short track speedskaters competing in the men‘s short track at the Gangneung Ice Arena on Saturday. The all-women squad’s collective voice echoed the arena, stealing some of the limelight from the athletes on the ice. Members of the crowd joined in some of the songs and a mexican wave the group started.The squad also chanted “We are,“ motioning towards the people holding the South Korean flag to return the chant with ”One,“ complet

Olympic GamesFeb. 10, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] PyeongChang’s use of ‘Gangnam Style’ receives mixed reactions

One of the most talked about things about Friday’s opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Games is undoubtedly Gangnam Style -- South Korean singer Psy’s song that became a mega-hit worldwide when it was released back in 2012. 　The catchy K-pop track, which features and is inspired by a lifestyle associated with the wealthy Seoul district in the title, was played as some of the Olympic teams, including the US delegation, marched into the stadium during the ceremony. 　The use of the song has receive

Olympic GamesFeb. 10, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] Sweden's Kalla wins 1st gold medal of Olympics

Sweden's Charlotte Kalla won the first gold medal of the Pyeongchang Games and Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjoergen took silver in the women's 15-kilometer skiathlon to become the most decorated female Winter Olympian ever.  (yonhap)Bjoergen captured her 11th career medal Saturday, breaking a three-way tie with Russian Raisa Smetanina and Italian Stefania Belmondo. Kalla won the race by more than seven seconds, breaking away from the pack in the final 2 kilometers to avenge her loss to B

Olympic GamesFeb. 10, 2018

[PyeongChang 2018] South Korea stages world-record drone light show at 2018 Olympic opening ceremony

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province -- Thousands of glittering drones filled the night skies of PyeongChang at the tech-savvy 2018 Winter Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on Friday, impressing Olympic viewers worldwide.　A record-setting 1,218 drones shot into the sky and traveled to a nearby ski slope, first taking on the shape of a moving snowboarder and later rearranging themselves into the iconic interlocking five Olympic rings.Adding further excitement to the performance, hundreds of South Korean sn

TechnologyFeb. 10, 2018