South Korea's Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik also tried to reassure the Commission, led by Sweden's Gunnilla Lindberg, that the situation with North Korea would not harm the Olympics and Paralympics if they are awarded them ahead of rivals Annecy and Munich by the IOC at its Session in Durban on July 6.

The new Olympic law, similar to the one that Britain adopted after London were awarded the 2012 Games, would guarantee Pyeongchang full financial support and ensure that the construction of the remaining facilities to host the Games would be built in time.

"If we are awarded the Games we will start the procedure to launch this special act," Culture Minister Choung Byoung-gug told insidethegames.

"The National Assembly has already promised to support the Pyeongchang bid so there will be no problem."

The decision to make internet access free to everyone would represent an Olympic first.

Vancouver faced criticism from the media during last year's Winter Olympics and Paralympics for charging them nearly $600 (£385) to get on-line while London 2012 are offering free internet access to the athletes but plan to charge journalists £150 ($244).

"We have promised to provide the service for free and we will keep that promise," said Yang Ho Cho, the chairman and chief executive of Pyeongchang 2018. 

"Keeping our promises" has been a constant refrain from Pyeongchang 2018 during this visit following unsuccessful bids to host the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, which were awarded to Vancouver and Sochi respectively.

This is most spectacularly illustrated by the $1.5 billion (£923 million) Alpensia resort, the base for the Evaluation Commission during their stay, which was one of the bid promises made during the 2014 campaign. 

Pyeongchang now has seven out of the 13 necessary sites now in place and the central Government planning to spend additional $1.53 billion (£941 million) to bolster the bid.

"Four years ago we did our presentations on empty fields but this time we were able to show them what we have built," said former Gangwon Governor Kim Jin-sun, who is now a special ambassador for the bid.

"This has showed that we keep our promises."



Lindberg, who was a member of the 2014 IOC Evaluation Commission, was suitably impressed.

"We have seen great progress in the bid from the two previous bids and we've also seen very strong Governmental support for the bid," she said.

"We have also seen progress in Korean winter sports during the last four years [since Pyeongchang's last bid]."

Lindberg refused to give much more away at the end of the visit but did praise the enthusiasm of the local people who have greeted the Evaluation Commission in their thousands whenever they have travelled to a venue.

"I must mention the passionate support of the Gangwon citizens," she said.

"t has been wonderful to see so many people to show their support to bring the Winter Games.

"Many people have showed their support to bring the Winter Games here."

Lindberg also appeared satisfied with the reassurance she had received about the political situation with North Korea. 

"We've had a situation for the last 60 years and during this time Korea has held the Olympic Games [in 1988], the World University Games and will host the World Athletics Championships [in Daegu] this year.

"The Olympic Movement and Olympic Games and sports event are force for good that can also help the situation between countries."

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