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“Da~ehanminguk, Fighting!”

Approximately 7 p.m. local time on the 30th, in the arrival area of Milan Malpensa Airport, located in the Varese region of Italy, the sounds of Korean residents waiting became more intense as 45 members of the primary South Korean delegation for the upcoming Milano Cortina Winter Olympics were seen.

Swinging small and large Taegeukgi flags while cheering, the residents received warm smiles and waves from the athletes. Locals, who appeared to be witnessing an unusual sight, pulled out their phones to record the moment.

Choi Tae-ho, the Consul General in Milan, along with other consulate personnel, also came in large numbers to the airport, carrying signs that read “Welcome Team Korea” and “Welcome to the South Korean Olympic delegation.”

Park Kwang-il, head of the Korean Residents Association in Italy, who had been waiting with around 30 residents for more than two hours, stated, “The Korean community of over 2,000 individuals in northern Italy is filled with excitement following the arrival of our athletes.” Resident Kim Hyo-young added, “Many arrived at the airport after traveling for over an hour to support the athletes. People from areas outside Milan also participated.”

The South Korean team, received by the local population, promptly went to the Milan Athletes’ Village to reside and start their Olympic preparations.

The Olympics in Milano Cortina will commence with an official event on the 6th and will last for 17 days, concluding on the 22nd. South Korea’s initial match will occur prior to the opening ceremony: the mixed doubles curling (Kim Seon-yeong and Jung Young-seok) against Sweden at 7:05 p.m. on the 4th (3:05 a.m. on the 5th, according to Korean time).