Wind shield installment underway at PyeongChang Olympic Stadium

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea, Jan. 11 (Yonhap) -- Organizers of next month's PyeongChang Winter Olympics said Thursday that wind shields are being installed on the Games' main stadium, to keep athletes and spectators warm from the region's cold weather during the opening ceremony.

Installment of wind fences on the second story of PyeongChang Olympic Stadium began in late December and will be finished around Monday, the organizing committee said. Made of polycarbonate, the fence is 3.5 meters high and 510 meters long.

Pyeongchang is one of the coldest regions in South Korea, with the temperature in February averaging minus 4.5 degrees Celsius for the past decade.

The pentagonal open stadium, the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies, has caused concern for being vulnerable to sub-zero conditions. On Feb. 9, the day of the opening ceremony, the evening temperature is expected to drop as low as minus 7 degrees C. Wind chill could bring the temperate to below minus 14 degrees C.

The committee estimates a crowd of 35,000 will attend the opening ceremony. Portable heaters will be installed throughout the aisles and attendants will be provided comfort kits -- consisting of rain coats, blankets and heating pads -- as well as hot food and drinks. A total of five emergency medical stations will be operated around the stadium.

odissy@yna.co.kr
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