(ATR) The white tiger "Soohorang" and the Asiatic black bear "Bandabi" begin their national tour as the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic mascots.
"Sooho", meaning protection in Korean, suggests the white tiger being the protector of the Olympians and spectators. The Paralympics Mascot, the black bear or "ban-dal-ga-seum-gom" meaning, the bear with a half-moon mark on the chest, is used as a symbol of willpower and courage.Both animals are featured in various Korean folk tales.
Mascots have been used in the Olympic Games since the very first Olympic mascot, the dachshund, for the 1972 Summer Olympic games in Munich.
Soohorang and Bandabi will be making promotional appearances in various cities and festivals across the country raising awareness of the Winter Olympic Games.
The tour began at Hoenggye Elementary School in PyeongChang where 150 students were able to witness their first public appearance. This event served as an opportunity for students to experience the various sports of the Olympic Games including, rifle shooting, sled riding, and even a virtual reality experience for ski-jumping.
Professional athletes, including the 2010 Olympic figure skating championYu-na Kim, joined the event working as daily instructors showing students how to better perform the sports.
The PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games will be held from Feb. 9-25.
Written by Courtney Colquitt
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