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Pyeongchang begins construction of athletes village for 2018

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) South Korean Olympic organizers have held a groundbreaking ceremony to launch construction of the athletes village for the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang.

Tuesday's event was attended by organizing committee president Cho Yang-ho and Gunilla Lindberg, chair of the IOC coordination commission for the Pyeongchang Games.

Organizers say the $152 million village will be built by a private company on the site of the 42,000 square meter (452,000 square foot) Yongpyong Dome in the mountain cluster. The village is due to be completed by September 2017 and will house about 3,500 athletes.

After the games, the village will be sold in individual apartments to the public, which organizers say will save more than $8.5 million.

The ceremony came as Lindberg led the fifth visit to Pyeongchang by the IOC oversight panel. The IOC is eager to check on the progress of venues and domestic sponsorships.