Olympics Tickets

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Tickets for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics are to go on sale next week. Authorities are discussing ways to provide discounts on the tickets, with prices that have been deemed to be quite expensive.

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The Pyeongchang Winter Olympics are just five months away. Once the sale of tickets to the Olympic Games resumes on September 5th, public interest in the games is expected to soar. However, sales are feared to be as low as in last May, when only 40,000 tickets were sold. The median ticket price of 140,000 won is regarded to be too expensive given low public interest in winter sports.

[Soundbite] Yoo Chang-mi(Gangneung Resident) : "I want to see the competitions with my own eyes, but the tickets are too expensive. I have to buy tickets for my children as well. It's too burdensome."

High lodging prices are expected to further discourage the public from attending the Olympics. Authorities are considering ways to provide discounts on tickets. As the International Olympic Committee adamantly refuses to lower ticket prices, authorities will likely provide discounts in the form of benefits using the tickets. One of them is using Olympic tickets like gift vouchers. However, this requires government support and additional funding. While local governments and public agencies have begun purchasing the tickets to the Pyeongchang Olympics, all eyes are on what kinds of benefits the ordinary public will receive.