Olympic Safety

KATHERINE GONG STAFF WRITER
The 2018 Winter Olympics will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The competitions, which are set to occur in February, are estimated to cost over ten billion dollars. For seventeen days, South Korea will welcome around three thousand athletes from nearly one hundred countries. However, with recent political turmoil over South Korea’s presidency and protests, some have expressed concern over the safety of the games ‒ especially concerning the country’s tensions with its northern counterpart. Despite this, South Korea retains the full power to ensure the safety of the games.
Ironically, the name PyeongChang is eerily similar to the name of North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang. As a result, the South Korean resort has changed its name by capitalizing the C for the first time. On October 20, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry hosted officials from countries such as the United States, China, and Russia. The meeting’s purpose was to conduct a briefing on the possible threat that North Korea poses and the actions the South Korean government is taking to uphold their promise. Although North Korea’s missile launching has increased in the Korean peninsula, South Korea has capable resources to protect the games.
Not only has the country upgraded its cyber defense team, but it will also double the troops that are present at the game. Additionally, the games will take place at least fifty miles from the demilitarized zone between the two countries. Thus, South Korea’s measures indicate that the games will be held with the utmost authority and security, and aims to provide both a safe and equipped venue for the athletes.