The venue, officially called 2018 Pyeongchang House, is located at the Green-city Convention Center.

It will serve as a focal point for the public in the lead-up to the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in two years’ time, showing the progress of preparations.

Gangneung will be one of the key areas for Pyeongchang 2018 as the city is due to stage curling, ice hockey, figure skating and speed skating at the Games, the first-ever Winter Olympics and Paralympics to be held in South Korea.

2018 Pyeongchang House has been designed with a winter snow sport theme, while the colours of the facility reflect those included in the official emblem.

The building is split into five different sections, including a main exhibition room, which features athlete models representing the 11 different winter sports, and a virtual 4D experience room.

The entrance corridor, meanwhile, portrays the story of how Pyeongchang was awarded the 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and visitors will be able to cast a wish in the Wishing Tree area, featuring trees decorated with eco-friendly LCD lights.

2018 Pyeongchang House has been fashioned out of recycled containers, making it environmentally friendly, according to organisers.

Pyeongchang 2018 hope the venue will be heavily visited by youth and teenagers in a bid to ramp up enthusiasm for the event.

The ceremony was attended by a number of dignitaries, including Pyeongchang 2018 President Cho Yang-ho, Gangwon Province Governor Choi Moon-soon and Lee Kyou-hyuk, the five-time short track speed skating world champion, an Honorary Ambassador for Pyeongchang 2018.

“At the newly-open 2018 Pyeongchang House, the public will be able to re-experience the journey of winning the bid in 2011 and witness Games preparations,” Cho said.

“I believe it will contribute to raising public interest and boosting enthusiasm about the 2018 Games and winter sports.”