Olympic Torch

[Anchor Lead]

The Olympic torch was lit in Greece this week. The flame will travel the country of Greece before arriving in Korea on November 1st, for the first time in 30 years since the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

[Pkg]

A Korean flag is being raised with the Korean national anthem being played in the background at the Temple of Hera in Greece's Olympia, the cradle of the ancient Olympic Games. Following the priestesses' mystical dance...the high priestess takes the flame to the torch to light it up. The original plan was to light the Olympic flame by concentrating the sunlight, but a reserve flame was used due to the cloudy skies. The Olympic flame that will illuminate PyeongChang next February was ignited at last.

[Soundbite] Lee Hee-beom(PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympics) : "The 2018 PyeongChang Olympics will be an event showing the world that South Korea is peaceful and respects peace."

The Olympic flame left the temple to embark on a grand journey to Korea for the first time in 30 years, since the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988. The first torchbearer in the Olympic torch relay is the legendary Korean footballer Park Ji-sung.

[Soundbite] Park Ji-sung(Honorary Ambassador for PyeongChang Winter Olympics) : "As an athlete, I grew up watching the Olympic Games and it's an honor for me to be the first carrier of the Olympic flame."

The fire will travel around Greece for a week before arriving in Incheon International Airport on November 1st, 100 days before the opening ceremony, to start its relay in Korea.