WASHINGTON -- The United States is confident that South Korea will host a safe Winter Olympics despite tensions over North Korea's nuclear weapons program, the State Department said Wednesday.
On Feb. 9, the Winter Games will kick off in the South Korean alpine town of PyeongChang, some 80 kilometers south of the inter-Korean border. Although North Korea has agreed to send its athletes to the Games, there are lingering concerns it could stage a missile or nuclear provocation.
"Authorities of the Republic of Korea are responsible for the overall security of the Games and we're confident in their ability to host a safe and successful event this year," Steve Goldstein, under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs, told a press briefing.