Korean swimmer Hwang Sun-woo trains for the Paris Olympics at Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, July 25. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

A half-dozen Korean swimmers preparing for the Paris Olympics moved out of the athletes' village Friday and will instead stay at a hotel near their competition venue, the sport's top national official said.

Chong Chang-hoon, president of the Korea Swimming Federation (KSF), said six members preparing for the men's 4x200-meter freestyle relay will move into a hotel about a five-minute walk from Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, in the western suburbs of Paris.

This was the KSF's response after two of the swimmers, Kim Woo-min and Hwang Sun-woo, had complained about transportation issues the previous day.

"We just want to make sure they will be at least a bit more comfortable," Chong said.

After Thursday's training session, Kim had said windows on the athletes' shuttle bus were taped shut, even though there was no air conditioning. Kim also said the bus he'd boarded earlier in the week got into a minor accident and wasted time on the road after the driver had missed a turn.

Korean swimmer Kim Woo-min trains for the Paris Olympics at Paris La Defense Arena in Nanterre, July 25. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Hwang likened the crammed bus to "a sauna."

"It's cooler outside than inside the bus," Hwang said Thursday. "It usually takes about 40 to 45 minutes from the village to the arena, but it took us more than an hour and a half today. Windows were taped probably because they are worried about terrorist attacks. But something has to be done."

The KSF came through for Kim, Hwang and their four relay teammates.

"When the team left for Paris last week, I told the athletes that if they experience any difficulty at all, they should tell us right away," Chong said. "Some people said it would be better for our swimmers to live outside the village, considering the circumstances. So we went out and found a hotel for them."

Chong said the swimmers will stay at the hotel through next Tuesday.

Kim will compete in the men's 400m freestyle on Saturday, followed by Hwang in the 200m freestyle on Sunday and, if he reaches the final as expected, on Monday. The relay is scheduled for Tuesday. (Yonhap)