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On July 22, a great fireworks show lights up the skies above Chuncheon in Gangwon-do Province to mark 200 days until next February’s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.


By Kim Ji Hoe and Sohn JiAe 
Photos = Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism 

The words “PyeongChang 2018 G-200” appeared in the middle of a great fireworks display, shinning across the night skies on July 22. 

As part of the official ceremony to mark 200 days until next February’s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the grandeur of the fireworks show celebrated the success of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, under the theme of “The One.” 

The firework teams from Korea and China, the host nation of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, launched their decorative explosions into the sky for more than 40 minutes. 

Prior to the fireworks show, a variety of performances -- a taekwondo demonstration, a chorus of children and a traditional Korean drum dance -- drummed up more excitement. 
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In the lead-up to the official fireworks show to mark 200 days until next year’s PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do Province, on July 22, a large balloon with the official PyeongChang Olympic logo floats into the sky.


In particular, the theme song for the Olympic torch relay, “Let Everyone Shine,” rang across the venue for the first time. 


The ceremony had in attendance more than 25,000 audiences, including National Assembly Speaker Chung Syekyun, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Do Jong-hwan, President Lee Hee-beom of the PyeongChang organizing committee and Governor of Gangwon-do Province Choi Moon-soon. 

“Today, I’ve realized that the power and the charms of Gangwon-do Province represent the power and charms of our nation,” said the culture minister in his remarks. “I hope that the PyeongChang Winter Olympics will be successful, as all eyes of the world will be on us,” he added. 

The Gangwon-do governor said, “Today’s fireworks give us a chance to show the world that we’ve prepared very hard for the Winter Olympic Games, to make them truly world-class. We will muster up all our remaining strength to successfully host the Winter Olympic Games for the sake of the provincial residents and, also, for the sake of the whole nation.”