The construction of the 8,000-seater venue had been delayed for some time due to decisions over what the facility would be used for come the end of the Games.

Organisers revealed last week that that the venue will be demolished following the Winter Games as it is more economical to do so.

The venue is budgeted to cost KRW131.1 billion ($107.4 million/£70 million).

Pyeongchang 2018 will have a total of 13 competition venues – four existing, three refurbished and six newly constructed.

With the groundbreaking for the speed skating rink, construction work on all six new venues is in progress.

The new speed skating rink is expected to be completed by January 2017 in time for a test event scheduled the following month ©Pyeongchang 2018



"With today's groundbreaking, all our competition venue preparations are in full swing and I am confident that there is good momentum in our progress," said Yang-Ho Cho, President of Pyeongchang 2018.

"We will continue to work closely with the Central Government and Gangwon Province to deliver an excellent Olympic Winter Games in 2018."

The five new venues already under construction are expected to be completed by November 2016, while the speed skating rink is due to be delivered by January 2017 in time for a test event scheduled the following month.

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