Olympic Volunteers

[Anchor Lead]

Volunteers played an important role in helping PyeongChang win its 2018 Olympic bid. Now that the Games are just around the corner, it’s the volunteers once again who are doing their best to ensure that the event is a success.

[Pkg]

Back in February 2011, the streets of PyeongChang were packed with a big crowd despite the snowy weather. Some four thousand people flocked here after hearing the news that the International Olympic Committee officials were coming to inspect PyeongChang's readiness for the Games. The warm welcome given to the IOC officials by the volunteers played a big part in helping PyeongChang win the Olympic bid.

[Soundbite] (PyeongChang Olympics Launching Ceremony Gyeonggi-do Prov. Volunteer Squad) : "We promise to do our best every step of the way and fulfill our duties perfectly."

With the Winter Olympics just around the corner, the volunteers are doing their best yet again to create a festive mood across the nation. Some two thousand residents of Gangwon-do and Gyeonggi-do provinces are volunteering at the Olympics now.

[Soundbite] Kim Hyo-seon(Gyeonggi-do Prov. Resident) : "I decided to take part in this out of my hope that South and North Korea will become one through this event."

So far, more than 105,900 people have applied to the PyeongChang Olympics volunteer squad. More than a thousand of them are foreign nationals. About 18,500 of the volunteers have already received basic training. They began their duties in full gear on January 2nd. These hidden heroes of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics are now ready to contribute to the successful hosting of the Games.