International Olympic Committee

04 December 2023 – With only 50 days to go to the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024, the volunteers were celebrated along with the appointment of Gangwon 2024 Ambassador Park Jae-min and K-actor Lee Dong-wook as “honorary volunteers” at Seoul Olympic Parktel, Republic of Korea.

This ceremony, which is the first official gathering since the volunteers’ selection, underscored the pivotal role volunteers play in enhancing the overall experience of the YOG. The volunteers selected for Gangwon 2024 will have the unique opportunity of working in one of the four competition zones – PyeongChang, Gangneung, Jeongseon, Hoengseong – and play a valuable role in a variety of areas, such as athletes support, media management, sports management and event/ceremony protocol.

In a statement issued by the volunteers, they said: “We look forward to promoting the value of growth and setting an example for the youth to embrace differences with mutual respect.”

The ceremony, which welcomed over 100 hundred volunteers, included the appointment of honorary volunteer leaders, a pledge by volunteer representatives, a dance presentation featuring the official song, “We Go High”, and a lunch for the volunteers.

The Organising Committee (YOGOC), under the leadership of its newly announced President, Choi Jong-gu, and two Co-Presidents, Lee Sang-hwa and Jin Jong-oh, celebrated the milestone.

In his opening statement, Choi said: “One of the most important things for the success of the YOG is the volunteers,” and he encouraged them to: “shine together, like the slogan of Gangwon 2024, by showing our capabilities and passion.”

The ceremony was also attended by Yu In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Kim Jin-tae, Governor of Gangwon Province. Mayors of the host cities of Gangneung, PyeongChang, Jeongseon and Hoengseong, alongside Gangwon 2024 Ambassador Park Jae-min were also appointed as “honorary volunteers”.

K-actor Lee Dong-wook, recently appointed as an IOC Olympic™ friend, and now, as an honorary volunteer, expressed his honour: “I am thrilled to be a part of the volunteer team for the Winter YOG Gangwon 2024 and contribute to the hosting of the event. My fellow volunteers and I are excited to welcome some of the world’s best young athletes to Gangwon this winter, and we hope to see lots of Korean winter sports fans too.”

Tickets for the upcoming Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon 2024 have been available to book since 11 November at tickets.gangwon2024.org, providing an opportunity for sports enthusiasts and supporters to secure their attendance at the event. Tickets will be free of charge for all events, except the Opening Ceremony in Gangneung.

Besides witnessing the world’s best young elite athletes, spectators will have the opportunity to partake in various events in the festival sites of the host cities. These include ice skating, DJ skate nights featuring renowned Korean DJs, engaging talks with Gangwon 2024 Ambassadors, snow tubing, a speed ski challenge, photo zones, and much more.

The Winter YOG Gangwon 2024 will take place from 19 January to 1 February 2024, with approximately 1,900 athletes from 81 National Olympic Committees expected to take part. Fans who want to see the next generation of potential winter sports stars can now apply for their tickets for Gangwon 2024 on tickets.gangwon2024.org.

Gangwon was elected as the host of the 4th Winter YOG at the 135th IOC Session in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 10 January 2020. Events will be held in four locations across the Gangwon region – Gangneung, PyeongChang, Jeongseon and Hoengseong – and will build upon the legacy of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 by using some of the same facilities.