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The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has established a special joint task force with South Korean organisers of the 2018 Winter Olympics amid concerns over the pace of preparations in PyeongChang.

Korea is currently facing tight deadlines to complete venues, prepare for test events and expand its domestic sponsor portfolio.

The decision to form the ‘Integration Working Group’ followed a report on the current state of preparations for the Games delivered at an IOC meeting in Rio de Janeiro last Friday (27th February) by Cho Yang-Ho, Chairman of the PyeongChang Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (POCOG).

The IOC said the need to quicken the pace of preparations ahead of next year’s test events was discussed, and it was agreed by both parties that a working group should be established.

The working group will bring together experts from the IOC, PyeongChang 2018, the winter international sports federations, the South Korean government and the province of Gangwon.

Commenting on the initiative, Gunilla Lindberg, Head of the IOC Coordination Commission for PyeongChang 2018, told the Associated Press news agency “we still have three years to go, but we lost a lot of time for the first three years.

“We can't lose any more time. We need to get everybody to move in the same direction and to take decisions. That has been the problem.”

POCOG last month insisted that preparations for test events due to be staged next year are on track, despite International Ski Federation President Gian-Franco Kasper having voiced his concerns over the current situation.

Citing political arguments and proposed venue changes in the South Korean city, Kasper said that currently it is “almost impossible” for ski and snowboard test events scheduled for next year to take place.

In addition, PyeongChang 2018 organisers have had to continually deny claims that certain events could be moved outside Korea.

The Integration Working Group is set to contain around 10 people and will meet at least once a month with the ability to make decisions immediately rather than having to seek approval from the IOC executive board or Korean political officials.

The first meeting will be staged ahead of the IOC coordination commission’s latest visit to PyeongChang, which begins on 15th March.

Cho explained “this will speed up all the decisions and make our work more efficient.

“The IOC is worried that we are not fast enough. We are not delayed. We are on time, but we are not fast enough. We want to speed up.”

The latest development comes just days after South Korean President Park Geun-hye called on more companies in the country to support PyeongChang 2018.

While Korean-based businesses Pagoda Education Group, Samil Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Youngone Outdoor and KT have signed up as domestic 2018 Winter Olympics sponsors, PyeongChang 2018’s commercial efforts have been criticised.

By contrast, during the first two months of 2015, Tokyo 2020 has signed up five top-tier partners for its summer Games – NEC, Fujitsu, Canon, NTT and Asahi Breweries.

8th January 2015 - PYEONGCHANG 2018 OLYMPIC ORGANISERS REJECT SHARING EVENTS WITH NORTH KOREA

10th December 2014 - INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE APPROVES CHANGES TO REDUCE OLYMPIC GAMES HOSTING COSTS

5th February 2013 - ROGGE CONFIDENT DESPITE PYEONGCHANG 2018’S FINANCIAL CHALLENGES

15th October 2011 - KOREA’S EXPENSIVE SPORTING HABIT

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