The plan to move the Opening and Closing Ceremonies from the Alpensia resort to a new venue, announced in July 2012 to coincide with the first anniversary of Pyeongchang being awarded the Olympics and Paralympics, had provoked anger among local citizens.

It was among their main grievances of a small group when they protested during the debrief of Sochi 2014 held in Pyeongchang earlier this year, an event attended by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach. 

Under the original proposal, the capacity at Alpensia Ski Jumping Stadium was to be increased from 10,000 to 50,000 so it could be the centrepiece of the Ceremonies.

That plan was scrapped after the IOC warned that preparations of the ski jumpers could be affected if the Opening Ceremony was held there.

There were also fears about the health of the spectators in the predicted cold conditions.

Instead, it was proposed building a special temporary 50,000-capacity venue on 80,000 square metres Olympic Park site in Hoenggye, that would dismantled after the Games, two miles from Alpensia.  

Moving the Pyeongchang 2018 Ceremonies was among a number of complaints Alpensia citizens protested about during a meeting attended by IOC President Thomas Bach in June ©ITG

But now, following talks between South Korea's Minister for Culture, Sports and Tourism Lee Jong-deok and newly-elected Pyeongchang 2018 President Cho Yang-ho, it has been decided to scrap that plan. 

Instead, a new 40,000-capacity facility will be built in Pyeongchang to stage the Ceremonies, it has been decided.

"Tthe venue for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Games will be built in Pyeongchang," a statement from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism sent to insidethegames said. 

"After the Games, the relevant parties will discuss how to make use of the facility."

More details of the new plan are expected to be released in the next few weeks following the next visit of the IOC Coordination Commission, led by Gunilla Lindberg, which is due to take place between November 25 and 27.

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