January 18 - Pyeongchang's bid to host the 2018 Olympics has received another boost after Hanjin Group, the parent group of Korean Air, the country's largest air carrier, donated 3 billion won (£1.6 million) towards its campaign.


 
Cho Yang-ho, the company's chairman, is the head of a promotion committee of Pyeongchang's bid.

Korean Air fly to 130 cities in 45 countries and is among the top 20 airlines in the world airlines in terms of passengers carried.

The donation will cover costs of various promotional events to be held in the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver next month, the carrier said.

The South Korean city, bidding for a third time having narrowly missed out to Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics and Sochi for the 2014 Games, is planning a number of initiatives over the coming months, including campaigning for a green 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

The city, which faces competition from Annecy and Munich, has chosen as its motto "Making Pyeongchang Green for the Games".

It is joining in energy saving and reducing carbon footprints by maintaining proper indoor temperature, changing light fixtures to LED, promoting bicycling and "green-driving", and using high energy-efficient certified products.

The Bid Committee has promised it will be promoting a nature-friendly environment by developing "ivied" walls and buildings.

Pyeongchang city hall is covered with a large banner that says, "it is necessary for us to join in 'Making Pyeongchang Green for the Games' so that the 2018 Winter Games will truly become a cultural festival surrounded by the nature and it will be recognized both at home and abroad as the best location to host the Games in 2018". 


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