Seoul to hand out 42,000 PyeongChang Olympics tickets to families in need
By Kim Hyun-bin
The Seoul Metropolitan Government will hand out 42,000 tickets to the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics to low-income households and multiracial families, Mayor Park Won-soon said Sunday.
It also plans to operate free shuttle buses for them from Seoul to Olympic venues in PyeongChang and elsewhere, and provide them with free food and beverages.
The city government announced it will purchase 20,000 additional tickets for the Winter Games after 25 district offices already purchased 22,000 tickets.
The tickets are for events that are expected to have low attendance including cross-country skiing and the biathlon.
Park and 13 district heads visited PyeongChang, Sunday, and announced five major policies to support the Olympics.
“This Olympics aims for social integration and is a means to enhance inter-Korean ties, Seoul will fully mobilize personnel and supplies to help the event,” said Park. ”This is more than a national competition; the event provides an opportunity to enhance societal friendships with citizens from all over the globe.” “We will work as if the PyeongChang Olympics is jointly hosted by Gangwon Province and Seoul,” he added.
The city government and districts are planning to dispatch 7,500 personnel including, 250 government workers, 6,950 volunteers and a 300 person cheering squad.
It will also send 12 winter service vehicles, 44 low floor buses, and 50 taxis for the handicapped.
The city government will also focus on promoting the winter sports extravaganza.
100 local busses will have PyeongChang Olympic advertisements on their sides, while 33,000 taxis, 4,300 buses and 19,000 cars will display promotion stickers starting Jan. 18.
Special help centers will also be set up in Seoul and Yongsan stations along with Incheon and Kimpo international airports, to guide tourists headed to PyeongChang.
At major tourist attractions, people will also be able to experience Olympic sporting events, wear traditional Hanbok clothing, and experience traditional games, from Jan. 26 to March 18.