Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yu In-chon, center, speaks during his visit to Alpensia Biathlon Centre in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, Friday, in preparation of 2024 Gangwon Youth Winter Olympics. Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province — The government and relevant organizations are making last-minute efforts to successfully host the 2024 Gangwon Youth Winter Olympics, slated for Jan. 19 to Feb. 1.

In a bid to check the readiness of the two-week winter sports event, Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yu In-chon visited the venues in Pyeongchang, Jeongseon and Hoengseong, Gangwon Province.

"The 2024 Gangwon Youth Winter Olympics are just around the corner. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will do its best until the last moment for the event's success," Yu said during his visit to Welli Hilli Park in Jeongseon, Friday. The ski resort is to host eight snowboard games for the event. "This Games will be worth remembering for a long time."

Yu asked the organizing committee members to pay extra attention to operating the heating system there since the snowboarding events are held outdoors. He also requested to set up more outdoor toilets for athletes and visitors.

He then visited the ski jump and biathlon center at Alpensia Sports Park in Pyeongchang. The venue, which had hosted the Winter Games in 2018, was renovated in October.

A committee member said it improved the venue's heating system while adding more outdoor containers to better accommodate participants' convenience.

Yu also met young biathlon athletes there to show his support, and then visited the athletes' villages on the following day. The villages are located at two different places: on the campus of Gangneung-Wonju National University and at the High1 Resort.

Food and Drug Safety Minister Oh Yu-kyoung participates in a food safety tour of facilities at the athletes' village for the 2024 Gangwon Youth Winter Olympics, at High1 Resort in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, Thursday. Courtesy of Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

For its part, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is gearing up to ensure food and beverage safety during the youth event.

Minster Oh Yu-kyoung visited the restaurants of the event venues and their subcontracted vendors to check their preparedness, Thursday.

"I would like to express my gratitude for their efforts to prevent possible food poisoning by providing safe groceries," Oh said during her visit to the venues.

"Food safety can never be overemphasized. All staff members should maintain good hygiene throughout the event."

According to the committee, Oh and her ministry officials checked the sanitary conditions of the grocery warehouses, grocery management and contingencies against food poisoning.

President Yoon Suk Yeol also stressed the importance of holding a successful Games during a Cabinet meeting, Jan. 9.

"We should go all out for young athletes and visitors to remember it as a good memory," Yoon said.

This article is a joint work between The Korea Times and 2024 Gangwon Youth Olympic Games committee. — ED.