The committee, tentatively called the "Pyeongchang Winter Series Foundation", was announced following an inaugural meeting today in Seoul in the presence of South Korea's seven national Wnter Sports Federations, as well as representatives from Gangwon Province and other host and venue cities.

Pyeongchang 2018 President Cho Yang-ho will chair the group, which will "work with each stakeholder to ensure sound preparation for the test events".

Several concerns have been expressed recently about construction progress, with International Ski Federation President Gian Franco Kasper claiming last month it would be "impossible" for test events to take place as planned next year.

Pyeongchang 2018 organisers strike a defiant pose following the setting up of a committee to oversee the test events, announced on the eve of the IOC Coordination Commission visit ©Pyeongchang 2018



But Pyeongchang 2018 officials insisted they remain on schedule, with 28 international competitions scheduled to be held between February 2016 and April 2017, billed as an opportunity for organisers to "review and improve the operational preparation for the Games in 2018".

"Considering that the first test events will be held next February, there isn't much time left," said Cho.

"Now it is time for all of us to come together and gear up for Games preparations.

"I feel the burden on my shoulders, but I will use that as positive impetus and make my best effort to make each event a success."

Test event progress is certain to be among the issues addressed during the three day visit by the Coordination Commission - chaired by Sweden's IOC Executive Board member Gunilla Lindberg - which will be focused mostly here in the coastal cluster for the Games, the venue for the ice sports. 

Kasper, also President of the Association of Winter Olympic Sport Federations, is a member of Commission, along with fellow Swiss René Fasel and Italy's Ottavio Cinquanta, Presidents of the International Ice Hockey Federation and the International Skating Union respectively. 

FIS President Gian-Franco Kasper will be keen to see progress from Pyeongchang 2018 first hand after criticising elements of the preparations last month ©Getty Images



With last November's scheduled inspection visit having been cancelled, it will mark the first official visit in almost a year and the first since Hanjin Group chairman Cho replaced Kim Jin-sun as President last July. 

Among other issues likely to be on the agenda will be the finalisation of venue plans, with the snowboard and freestyle skiing venue having only been confirmed last week, as well as construction timetables and impending sponsorship deals. 

A Pyeongchang 2018 Task Force was set up last month to "speed up" preparations, with less than three years to go until the Olympics are due to open on February 9, 2018.