Olympic Venues

[Anchor Lead]

The PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games begin next month. Up next we bring you a sweeping view of the facilities as seen from above. Take a look.

[Pkg]

After a 40-minute flight from Gimpo Airport, a vast tract of high-lying land on the Daegwallyeong mountain pass, where the sky meets the earth, comes into view. Workers are busy installing wind- shielding nets at a ski jumping center to block gusty winds. Next to the ski jumping center, you can see the biathlon and cross-country skiing centers located side by side. The new sliding center features state- of-the-art equipment made with domestic technologies. China, the host-country of the next Winter Olympics, has even requested that Korea provide technological advice. And this the Olympic Plaza, where the opening and closing ceremonies of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics will take place. It's equipped with high-tech spidercams. The Olympic torch stand is awaiting the beginning of the big event. Across the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range, there is the Jeongseon Alpine Center measuring 2,852 meters long and having a vertical drop of 825 meters, the greatest in Korea. Across the Daegwallyeong mountain pass, the emerald East Sea enters the view with the Gangneung Ice Arena underneath. This is where figure-skating and short-track competitions will take place. They are expected to bring the most medals to South Korea. Most of the facilities here, including the speed skating, hockey and curling centers, were built on a landfill site. Construction is almost complete now, but authorities have yet to come up with a plan on how to use the three venues after the Olympic Games. They are located in close proximity to Ojukheon House and the former upper class residence Seongyojang in the inland area. Across the Daegwallyeong mountain pass there is the famous Woljeongsa Temple of PyeongChang. The PyeongChang Winter Olympics will further broaden Korea's cultural horizons by bringing together world cultural heritage and Korean