South Korea to guarantee security at Pyeongchang Olympics

South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in said on Wednesday the country is pushing to ensure security at next year’s Pyeongchang Winter Olympics amid rising tensions over North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs, Reuters reported.

In a meeting with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, Moon said South Korea has always hosted global sports events successfully despite being technically at war with the North, according to a South Korean presidential official.

“We are well aware of the concerns the IOC and the whole world have regarding the Korean peninsula,” Moon was quoted as saying to Bach at the New York meeting by the official.

“A successful hosting of the Pyeongchang games would erase worries over security and show the world regional peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”

Pyeongchang, the first Asian host of the Winter Olympics outside Japan, will stage the event on Feb 9-25.