The eastern province of Gangwon-do on Jan. 19 opened Gangwon 2024.

The opening ceremony for Asia¡¯s first hosting of the competition started at 8 p.m. at the Gangneung Oval in Gangneung and Pyeongchang Dome in Pyeongchang-gun County. The event at the former facility was live-streamed at the latter.

Approximately 9,000 people were at the event in Gangneung including Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In Chon and Second Vice Minister Jang Miran. In Pyeongchang-gun, First Vice Minister Chun Byong-keuk participated at the ceremony there with about 4,000 in attendance.

The ceremony featured a stage for youth, the protagonists of Gangwon 2024. The dance team Turns and Ambiguous Dance Company performed with youngsters under the competition¡¯s theme ¡°Let Us Shine,¡± portraying a story where youth discover shining stars and a small universe within themselves to grow together.

The lighting of the Olympic torch, the highlight of the ceremony, took place in Gangneung after making its final journey from the county. The carriers were domestic stars of winter sports, such as former skeleton champion Yoon Sungbin, who won the gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. ¡°Youth participating in Gangwon 2024 can interact with their peers from many countries and races to create unforgettable memories,¡± Minister Yu said. ¡°I hope that everyone who visits the competition enjoys this festival called the Youth Olympics.¡±

To run through Feb. 1, Gangwon 2024 was held in Gangwon-do in the city of Gangneung and counties of Pyeongchang-gun, Jeongseon-gun and Hoengseong-gun. A combined 1,803 athletes from 79 countries competed.

The ¡°Korea Grand Sale 2024¡° commenced on Jan. 11 and will extend through Feb. 29. This festival offers various benefits encompassing flights, accommodation, shopping, dining, experiences and convenience services through partnerships with various companies. Since its launch in 2011, this event stands out with a record-breaking participation of over 1,650 companies.

Nine domestic airlines offer up to 91% discounts and additional service benefits for 145 international flights bound for Korea. Accommodation promotions provide room discounts of up to 80% and exclusive accommodation packages with transportation, experience, shopping benefits and more.

Major duty-free shops, department stores, supermarkets, and outlets are participating in shopping promotions. During this event, they offer up to 60% discounts at key locations nationwide―including Seoul, Busan and Incheon. Additionally, shoppers can receive gift vouchers and enjoy additional services such as membership upgrades and freebies.

The 2024 Korea Grand Sale has also partnered up with global credit card firms to provide discount vouchers for travelers that can be used at over 300 restaurants and cafes across the country.

In the ¡°Korea Grand Sale Welcome Center¡± in Myeongdong, Hongdae and Seongsu, visitors can receive a coupon book containing benefits from participating companies.

Moreover, foreign tourists can create special memories in Korea with programs spanning diverse themes like K-pop, K-food, K-heritage, K-beauty, and more. For the ¡°Winter Youth Olympic Games Gangwon 2024¡± tourist, special ski and accommodation discounts are offered to foreign visitors exploring the province within Gangwon-do Province. In addition, Daegu, Incheon, Ulsan and Gimje provide tourist attractions and programs.

More information about the event and related benefits can be found on the Korea Grand Sale website (https://en.koreagrandsale.co.kr/).