Fendt met with Jieun Park, the President of the Korean Luge Federation, amid the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordination Commission visit to Pyeongchang ahead of the 2018 Winter Games.

Discussions included the new Alpensia Sliding Centre, which will host luge and the other sliding sports of bobsleigh and skeleton at the Winter Olympics.

Safety issues surrounding the track were discussed during the Commission's visit, with a call made for five new pumps to be installed on the course in order to resolve icing problems with existing ones.

Only two of these have so far been introduced, mainly due to time issues ahead of further testing scheduled for later this month.

Concerns were also raised with the placement of sprinkler systems near to cooling plants along the course due to the risk of explosion.

Sprinklers are required under South Korean law but are considered a safety risk by European experts.

Better communication and leadership between the Organising Committee and Gangwon Provincial authorities over the facility was also proposed.

The course was hit by problems in March when testing was cut short as there was not enough ice on the upper section of the course.

Problems with the refrigeration system were blamed as only the lower part of the track could be used, with further testing now planned this month.

The new sliding track is exactly 2,018 metres long, with official training weeks planned for February and March next year.

Fendt and Park also discussed South Korean preparations for the new luge season, as well as the Pyeongchang Olympics.

The country does not traditionally excel in luge, but in June Yonhap reported that the country were hoping to naturalise German Aileen Frisch.

The twenty-three-year-old has won gold medals at the Junior World and Junior European Championships, and won the overall Junior World Cup in 2012.

She retired from the sport when she failed to make the senior Germany squad for the 2015-16 season, but now may be set for a comeback under a new flag.