The sporting action has been unforgettable at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics,... but with Korea being Korea,... the country also wanted to make sure the technology aspect of the Games was front and center.
Our Lee Ji-won reports on how the 2018 Games are the most high-tech in history.


There's a constellation of LED lights in the night sky above Pyeongchang's Medal Plaza.
It's the record-breaking formation of more than 12-hundred drones that stole the show at the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
Among the cutting edge technologies used in the show... is the 5th generation, or 5G, wireless network... newly introduced for the Games.
5G is around 100 times faster than its predecessor, transmitting massive amounts of data and enabling the creation of amazing new experiences.
The Winter Olympics are showcasing high-end technologies like these and even integrating them into key visitor experiences... to provide entertainment and convenience.

"Another cutting-edge technology visitors can enjoy at Pyeongchang is a test ride in one of these autonomous fuel cell vehicles."

The autonomous vehicle runs a course of 7 kilometers on the actual streets of Pyeongchang, even successfully navigating the city's roundabouts.
Researchers installed a total of 6 sensors all around the vehicle to help it detect obstacles,... and they also programmed different scenarios into it so it'll know what to do when the time comes.
Most people have never seen a fully autonomous vehicle on an actual road, so it's getting a lot of attention.

"Unbelievable. I really enjoyed very much with this car. The car was running very smoothly and was very comfortable. It's going to be very challenging for the forth coming Olympics to introduce more technologies."

Technology has also been used to improve customer experience.
The Superstores, which sell Olympic memorabilia, have made the long checkout lines run faster through the use of wearable payment devices.

"We made micro-tags embedded with dual interface NFC chips and antennas so they can be put into gloves, stickers and pins. And this allows customers to pay by simply tapping the register."

It's the first time such technology has been made widely available for the public to purchase and use.

"Paying by cash takes more time because we need to get our change. But paying with the wearable device only took me 5 seconds. It's so cool and convenient."

These new technologies have not only made the 2018 Winter Games even more enjoyable, they're building a legacy for the PyeongChang Games as the "ICT Olympics".
Lee Ji-won, Arirang News, Pyeongchang.