Overseas news agencies wish for successful PyeongChang Olympics VIDEO
Baku, February 2, AZERTAC
Yonhap News Agency received congratulatory messages from its overseas media partners wishing for a successful PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games.
Yonhap is the host national news provider for the games as designated by the International Olympic Committee and operates the PyeongChang News Service Network (PNN) to deliver real-time updates on the Feb. 9-25 competition. The news sharing platform began full operation on Jan. 20 with 54 member agencies across the world.
Eleven PNN members from 10 different countries sent messages delivering their best wishes for the 2018 Winter Games and the PNN platform.
"I wish Yonhap News Agency a success in covering this spectacular sporting event. I am confident that your professional staff will do their utmost to excellently cover the Olympic Games," Aslan Aslanov, the president of Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC), which also chairs the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies, said.
"ANSA is extremely proud to participate as (a) partner agency within the PyeongChang News Service Network platform created by Yonhap: our convinced and active membership starts form the conviction of the importance of news exchange and information sharing," Guiseppe Cerbone, the head of Italy-based Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA), said.
"I wish you a lot of fast and high-quality news for the lovers of winter sports, a great number of fantastic photos and, especially, may the best athletes win at the stadiums," Vladimir Puchala, the general director of the News Agency of the Slovak Republic, said in a letter. "We believe the Olympics in South Korea will prove that sport has the rare ability to connect people around the world."
"Jordan News Agency (Petra) sends its warmest regards to South Korea, wishing it successful hosting of Olympic Winter Games, and expresses sincere wishes to Yonhap News Agency for a great achievement and outstanding performance in covering of all PyeongChang 2018 Olympic events," the agency's Director General Faisal Al-Shboul said.
The news agencies also highlighted Yonhap's importance in covering inter-Korean issues throughout the event, especially since North Korea plans to send an Olympic delegation, with the two Koreas also forging a joint team for women's hockey.
"The PyeongChang Olympics is drawing more and more attention from around the world as North Korea will send athletes and South Korea and North Korea will march into the opening ceremony together under the Korean unification flag. Our expectations of the role to be played by Yonhap are also becoming higher and higher," Masaki Fukuyama, the head of Japan's Kyodo News, said.
Qatar News Agency, Cyprus News Agency, Belarusian Telegraph Agency, Islamic Republic News Agency and Sudan News Agency also sent messages.
PNN members have access to not only Yonhap's articles, photos and video clips -- in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, French, Arabic and Spanish -- but also those of fellow members, without signing separate agreements.
The organizing committee for PyeongChang confirmed earlier this week that 2,925 athletes from 92 nations -- both Winter Olympics records -- will participate in the upcoming competition. Pyongyang plans to send 22 athletes.
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