The head of the International Olympic Committee is already in South Korea,... checking up on the last-minute preparations for the PyeongChang Games and preparing for a slew of meetings.
For more on Thomas Bach's first day in Korea,... here's Lee Seung-jae.
It was day-one in Korea for IOC President Thomas Bach,... who arrived at the host city of the 2018 Winter Olympics via a KTX bullet train from Incheon International Airport,... pulling into Jinbu Station where he was greeted by dozens of Olympic volunteers.
After a short meet and greet,... Bach sat down for talks with the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games Organizing Committee on a series of pressing matters as the Games are now less than two weeks away.
Bach asked Lee Hee-beom, the head of the organizing committee, about the major issues and challenges facing the opening ceremony,... with Lee saying the freezing cold weather was the biggest concern.
Meanwhile, Bach showed great interest in the first ever joint Korean women's ice hockey team,... praising the little things the team is doing for team chemistry, as the South Korean players threw a small birthday party for their North Korean teammate Jin Ok on Monday.

" To learn about the news about the birthday party among the players yesterday, that is the Olympic message, that is the Olympic spirit."

With the first ever Winter Olympics in Korea kicking off with the opening ceremony on February 9th,... Bach will stay in PyeongChang throughout the duration of the Games, which end on February 25th.
Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.