PyeongChang still hopeful NHL players will come to Olympics

GANGNEUNG, Gangwon Province (Yonhap) -- PyeongChang Winter Olympic organizers remained hopeful on Tuesday that National Hockey League stars will come to South Korea next year, despite the league‘s announcement that it will not send its players.The NHL said earlier in the day that it will finalize its 2017-2018 regular season schedule “without any break to accommodate the Olympic Winter Games.”(AP)“We now consider the matter officially closed,” the league added, apparently ending months of debate

April 4, 2017

Korea to approve NK's possible participation in PyeongChang Olympics

South Korea's unification ministry said Monday it plans to allow North Korea to take part in the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics if Pyongyang decides to do so.On Sunday, North Korea expressed its intent to take part in the Winter Games in PyeongChang, 180 kilometers east of Seoul, and its sub-cities, according to Choi Moon-soon, the provincial governor of the host city. (Yonhap)Seoul's unification ministry said that a set of U.N. sanctions and punitive measures against North Korea's nuclear pro

April 3, 2017

PyeongChang launches Olympic cooperation projects with Tokyo, Beijing

Organizers of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games said Friday they've launched cooperation projects with their neighbors who are also preparing to host future Olympics.PyeongChang has agreed with Tokyo, host of the 2020 Summer Olympics, and Beijing, which will stage the 2022 Winter Games, to cooperate in two major areas: the efficient preparations of their respective Olympic Games and the promotion of the Olympic Movement.These ideas were reached at the meeting of executive directors of the three

March 17, 2017

IOC chief says PyeongChang faces 'no real challenges' in Winter Games prep

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said Friday PyeongChang, the South Korean host of the 2018 Winter Games, has done such a great job in its preparations that he doesn't "see real challenges."Bach made the remark at a press conference following the conclusion of the IOC's Executive Board meeting at Alpensia Convention Centre in PyeongChang, some 180 kilometers east of Seoul. During his stay, Bach visited the construction site for the Olympic Village and received reports on Pye

March 17, 2017

IOC to require minimum number of doping tests for Olympic athletes

The International Olympic Committee on Thursday said it will require athletes to take a certain number of doping tests before taking part in the Olympic Games.The measure was part of the IOC's 12 principles reached at its Executive Board meeting held in PyeongChang, the host of the 2018 Winter Games lying 180 kilometers east of Seoul. They were drafted to ensure "a more robust and independent global anti-doping system to protect clean athletes." Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympi

March 16, 2017

Korean skeleton slider to battle idol for No. 1 ranking in Olympic rehearsal

South Korea's best Olympic medal hopeful in skeleton will battle his idol for the world No. 1 ranking at an Olympic rehearsal at home this week.Yun Sung-bin, currently No. 2 in men's skeleton, will be the home-crowd favorite at the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation World Cup starting Friday at Alpensia Sliding Center in PyeongChang, host of the 2018 Winter Olympics located some 180 kilometers east of Seoul. It will be the eighth and final World Cup race of the season, and also the

March 15, 2017

PyeongChang Olympics can unite Koreans amid political turmoil

With South Korea reeling from the ouster of the president, the Winter Games to be held in the country next year will help unite the people here, the global Olympic chief said Tuesday.Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, said the Olympic Games have the power to bring people together, and the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, some 180 kilometers east of Seoul, will come at "an important moment" for South Korea. Thomas Bach (right), president of the International Olympi

March 14, 2017

IOC President Bach receives honorary degree at nat'l sports university

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Tuesday received an honorary doctorate from South Korea's only national sports university.Korea National Sport University conferred the doctoral degree in physical education on Bach in a ceremony at its Seoul campus, recognizing the German's role in the development of sports and his contribution to global peace through the Olympic Games. IOC President Thomas Bach (Yonhap)Bach, 63, has been leading the Olympic body since 2013.Bach, a fencin

March 14, 2017

IOC President Bach to visit PyeongChang to check on Olympic preparations

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach will visit PyeongChang this week to check on preparations for the 2018 Winter Games in the South Korean alpine town.Bach will arrive in South Korea on Tuesday to take a tour of the Olympic venues in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, some 180 kilometers east of Seoul, and to preside over the IOC's Executive Board meeting for two days starting Thursday. He will hold a press conference Friday. In this file photo taken on Aug. 4, 2016, the Internati

March 13, 2017

Korean short tracker wins world overall title, earns Olympic berth

South Korean short track speed skater Seo Yi-ra has won his first world overall championship, earning an automatic Olympic berth in the process.Seo was crowned the overall champion at the International Skating Union World Short Track Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on Sunday (local time). Seo won the men's 1,000 meters, adding to his bronze medals from the 500m and 1,500m. Seo then finished second in the 3,000m super final and ended with 81 ranking points, eight ahead of Sjinkie Kne

March 13, 2017

PyeongChang Paralympics 1 year away with host eyeing first gold

The Paralympic test events kicked off last week with the World Wheelchair Curling Championship in Gangneung. Three more test events -- the World Para Snowboard World Cup Finals, the World Para Nordic Skiing World Cup and the World Para Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals -- will be held this week, while the World Para Ice Hockey Championships A-Pool will be contested from April 11 to 20.After test events, the KPC said there will be national team selection trials and selected members will have oversea

March 7, 2017

Snowboarder earns 1st ever World Cup silver medal for South Korea

Alpine snowboarder Lee Sang-ho has won South Korea’s first ever silver medal at the International Ski Federation World Cup.Lee earned silver at the FIS Snowboard World Cup in Kayseri, Turkey, on Saturday (local time) after finishing second in men’s parallel giant slalom. He lost to Andreas Prommegger of Austria by 0.21 second in the final.  Lee Sang-ho (Yonhap)This is the best ever result by a South Korean at the FIS World Cup. Previously, Lee had a fourth place finish at the FIS Snowboard World

March 5, 2017

Test events reveal tasks ahead for PyeongChang Games

The ongoing test events for the upcoming 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games have been revealing the potential problems of hosting the international event, with organizers working to address them before next year’s games. From November last year to April, the PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is slated to hold 26 international events. Test events are in full swing this month, with the venues in PyeongChang and the neighboring city of Gangneung ha

Feb. 14, 2017

PyeongChang revs up for Winter Olympics

PYEONGCHANG -- Traveling east of the megalopolis that is Seoul, one will find the snow-covered PyeongChang-gun.The usually quiet county is now buzzing with anticipation and preparations for the upcoming 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games, which will mark the first time for the global event to be held in Korea. The games will commence on Feb. 9, 2018.Officials from the joint civilian-government preparation committee say the sports events currently being held in PyeongChang, a year ahead of the Winter

Feb. 9, 2017

Countdown clock unveiled for PyeongChang Winter Olympics

A countdown clock for the first Winter Olympics to take place in South Korea was unveiled on Wednesday. Citizens are posing for a photo in front of the countdown clock on Wednesday in Seoul. (Yonhap)The countdown to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games will reach one year on Thursday. To celebrate the occasion, Omega, the official Olympic timekeeper, set up the digital clock at Seoul Plaza in front of the city hall. It displays the number of days, hours, minutes and seconds left to the quadrennial

Feb. 8, 2017