The Winter Olympic Games is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held in Chamonix, France. The modern Olympic Games were inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, leading to the first modern Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in 1896. The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement, with the Olympic Charter defining its structure and authority.
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated from 17 September to 2 October 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. 159 nations were represented at the games, by a total of 8,391 athletes: 6,197 men and 2,194 women. 237 events were held and 27,221 volunteers helped to prepare the Olympics. 11,331 media showed the Games all over the world. These were the last Olympic Games for the Soviet Union and East Germany, as both ceased to exist before the next Olympic Games in 1992. The Soviet Union won the medal table, winning 55 gold and 132 total medals.
The 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event held between February 18–28, 1960, in Squaw Valley, California, United States.
The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964. The Games included 1091 athletes from 36 nations, and the Olympic Torch was carried by Joseph Rieder, a former alpine skier who had participated in the 1956 Winter Olympics.
The 2018 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXIII Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as PyeongChang 2018, was an international winter multi-sport event that was held between 9 and 25 February 2018 in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon Province, South Korea, with the opening rounds for certain events held on 8 February 2018, the day before the opening ceremony.
Alpine skiing at the 1960 Winter Olympics consisted of six events, held in the United States at Squaw Valley, California, from February 20–26, 1960. Competitions took place at Squaw Peak, KT-22 and (Little) Papoose Peak.
South Korea has traditional sports of its own, as well as sports from different cultures and countries.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland competed as Great Britain at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.
North Korea competed as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
North Korea competed as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France.
North Korea competed as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
The Republic of Korea first participated at the Olympic Games in 1948, and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except for 1980 which they boycotted. South Korea has also participated in every Winter Olympic Games since 1948, except for the 1952 games.
Canada has sent athletes to every Winter Olympic Games and almost every Summer Olympic Games since its debut at the 1900 games with the exception of the 1980 Summer Olympics, which it boycotted. Canada has won at least one medal at every Olympics in which it has competed. The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) is the National Olympic Committee for Canada.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea first participated at the Olympic Games in 1964. The National Olympic Committee for North Korea is the Olympic Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and was created in 1953 and recognized in 1957.
South Korea competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, from 9 to 25 February 2018, as the host nation. It was represented by 122 competitors in all 15 disciplines.
The ice hockey competitions of the 2018 Winter Olympics were played at two venues within the Gangneung Coastal Cluster in Gangneung, South Korea. The Gangneung Hockey Centre, which seats 10,000, and the Kwandong Hockey Centre, which seats 6,000, were both originally scheduled to be completed in 2016 but appear to have been completed in early 2017. Both venues contain Olympic-sized rinks.
Alpine skiing at the 2018 Winter Olympics was held from 12 to 24 February at Yongpyong Alpine Centre at the Alpensia Sports Park in PyeongChang and at the Jeongseon Alpine Centre in Jeongseon, South Korea.
Cross-country skiing at the 2018 Winter Olympics was held at the Alpensia Cross-Country Centre in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The twelve events took place between 10 and 25 February 2018.
North Korea competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Two figure skaters, Ryom Tae-ok and Kim Ju-sik, qualified for the Games, but the Olympic Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea failed to enter them by the 30 October deadline. On 9 January 2018, North Korea agreed in negotiations with South Korea to send both athletes and a delegation to the Winter Olympics.
