AND THOUSANDS OF KOREANS HAVE GATHERED HERE IN THIS TOWN TO WITNESS THE OPENING OF A TRUE FESTIVAL OF SPORT, AND SO ON OCCASIONS LIKE THIS, THAT, AS BROADCASTERS, WE SIT HERE AND THINK, 'HOW LUCKY ARE WE TO BE HERE TO WATCH THIS 'AND TO BE PART OF IT?' (EXCITING STRING MUSIC) WINTER PARALYMPIANS WORLDWIDE HAVE BEEN TRAINING, COMPETING AND WAITING WITH IMPATIENT EXCITEMENT FOR THIS MOMENT. THEY'VE TRAVELLED MANY DIFFERENT ROADS, AND EVERY JOURNEY HAS HAD ITS CHALLENGES. NOW THEY'RE ARRIVING AT THE PLACE WHERE ALL THAT SACRIFICE AND EFFORT SUDDENLY MAKES SENSE ` PYEONGCHANG 2018. (MUSIC CONTINUES) IT IS AN UNBELIEVABLE MOMENT. WHERE THE PARALYMPIC GAMES BEGIN. YOU CAN TRAIN FOR FOUR YEARS ` AN ENTIRE CYCLE. YOU CAN WIN A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, A EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP, AN ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP. YOU CAN WIN YOUR NATIONAL TITLE. BUT FAIL TO DO IT HERE AND IT WILL HURT THE MOST. (LOW, DRAMATIC MUSIC) CROWD: 10! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE! (TWINKLING) (BRIGHT, DYNAMIC MUSIC PLAYS) (MUSIC CONTINUES) (MUSIC ENDS, CRACKLING, WHISTLING) FEMALE ANNOUNCER: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA, THE HOST COUNTRY FOR THE PYEONGCHANG 2018 WINTER GAMES, MOON JAE-IN, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE, MR ANDREW PARSONS. (GRAND, EXCITING MUSIC PLAYS, MAN SPEAKS KOREAN) (MUSIC CONTINUES) THE IPC WILL JUST BE PROUD OF WHAT THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER HERE. (MUSIC CONTINUES) PRESIDENT MOON JAE-IN IS ENJOYING AN EXTRAORDINARY FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE. (MUSIC SWELLS) ANDREW PARSONS TAKING OVER FROM THE WONDERFUL AND BRILLIANT WORK DONE BY SIR PHILIP CRAVEN AS THE THIRD IPC PRESIDENT. (MUSIC CONTINUES) (MUSIC FADES) (DRUM RUMBLES) STRIKING THE GIANT DRUM, SHIN MYEONG-JIN OFFERS A WELCOME TO THE PARALYMPIANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. (DRUM RUMBLES) (DRUMS RUMBLE) (DRUMS PLAY SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC) THE BEATS FROM VARIOUS TRADITIONAL DRUMS COMBINE TO FORM A HARMONY THAT EXPRESSES THE POUNDING HEARTS OF THE ATHLETES AND ALL OF US WATCHING THEIR PERFORMANCES. (SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC CONTINUES) (MUSIC INTENSIFIES) (MUSIC CONTINUES) (GONG CHIMES, APPLAUSE) (EXCITING MUSIC PLAYS) THE DONG RIVER IS NOW APPEARING IN THE STADIUM, AND IT WILL HELP CARRY A REPRESENTATION OF THE NATIONAL FLAG INTO THE ARENA. FEMALE ANNOUNCER: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE NATIONAL FLAG OF THE PARALYMPIAN WINTER GAMES HOST COUNTRY, THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA. (MAN SPEAKS KOREAN) THE FIRST KOREAN WINTER PARALYMPIAN AND INTERNATIONAL JUDGE. (MAN SPEAKS KOREAN) (EXCITING MUSIC) THE FLAG OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA WAS ADOPTED IN 1948. IT'S ALSO KNOWN AS THE TAEGEUKGI. A RED AND BLUE CIRCLE IN THE MIDDLE REPRESENTS BALANCE. THE TRIGRAMS AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE CIRCLE SYMBOLISE MOVEMENT AND HARMONY. (MUSIC CONTINUES) (MUSIC BUILDS, FADES) FEMALE ANNOUNCER: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE STAND FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA. (ORCHESTRA PLAYS 'AEGUKGA') (CROWD SINGS) (SINGING CONTINUES) LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME THE ATHLETES OF THE PYEONGCHANG 2018 PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES. (MAN SPEAKS KOREAN) (EXCITING ELECTRONIC MUSIC BUILDS) (ELECTRONIC MUSIC PLAYS) ENTERING THE STADIUM, A 30-YEAR-OLD SNOWBOARDER HAS THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING THE FIRST ATHLETE. HIS NAME IS KOSTAS PETRAKIS ` THE SOLE ATHLETE FROM GREECE. NORWAY NEXT, THEN. AND BIRGIT SKARSTEIN, THE CROSS-COUNTRY ATHLETE, LEADS OUT THE TEAM. THERE'S PLENTY OF MEDAL PROSPECTS. YOU CAN TAKE JESPER PEDERSON IN THE SIT-SKI FOR THE ALPINE IN THAT AS WELL. (EXCITING MUSIC CONTINUES) SPORTING AN URBAN STREET-STYLE LOOK, GERMANY ENTERS THE STADIUM, LED BY ATHLETE AND CROSS-COUNTRY SKIER ANDREA ESKAU. THE 2014 SILVER MEDALLIST LOOKS TO PLACE ONE HIGHER ON THE PODIUM. SHE'D LIKE TO ADD TO HER COLLECTION OF FOUR GOLD MEDALS FROM THE SUMMER PARALYMPIC GAMES. (DYNAMIC ELECTRONIC MUSIC PLAYS) AH, MEXICO. ARLY VELASQUEZ, ONE OF OUT SIT-SKIERS. THIS IS THEIR FOURTH WINTER GAMES. THEY DEBUTED IN TURIN, AND ARLY BROUGHT HIS OWN MEXICAN VIBRANCE TO THE ENTRANCE. A SNOWBOARDER NICKNAMED 'MONSTER' LEADS A MONSTER DELEGATION ` THE LARGEST AT THESE GAMES ` INTO THE STADIUM. MIKE SCHULTZ WAS NOMINATED TO BE THIS FLAG BEARER BY HIS FELLOW USA ATHLETES. MONSTER'S AN AFFECTIONATE TERM, AS HE'S HELPED CREATE SOME OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE PROSTHETIC COMPONENTS AVAILABLE. UP TO 30 OF HIS COMPETITORS, FROM SIX DIFFERENT NATIONS, WILL BE USING HIS DESIGNS. (BRIGHT ELECTRONIC MUSIC) EIGHT YEARS AGO, FLAG BEARER OWEN PICK WAS FIGHTING FOR THE FLAG HE NOW CARRIES WITH A GREAT SMILE. HE SAID A TRAGIC DAY LED HIM TO A LOVE OF SNOWBOARDING. AND TEAM GREAT BRITAIN SPORT THAT VERY FAMOUS LION LOGO. AUSTRALIA OUT NEXT, AND IT'S PART OF THE JOINT TEAM CO-CAPTAINS THAT LEADS US OUT. THIS IS JOANY BADENHORST, THE SNOWBOARDER. MITCH GOURLEY IS THE OTHER CAPTAIN OUT OF THAT PARTNERSHIP, AND HE IS A WORLD CHAMPION AS WELL. (BRIGHT MUSIC CONTINUES) NOW, ANOTHER LADY HERE THAT WILL BE DESPERATE TO GO AWAY WITH MEDALS AND WILL BE ULTRA-DISAPPOINTED IF SHE DOESN'T, THIS IS CLAUDIA LOESCH ` SIT-SKIER, 29 YEARS OF AGE. AS A COUNTRY, THEY'VE GOT 325 AT GAMES. 104 ARE GOLD. ONLY NORWAY HAVE MORE. (BRIGHT MUSIC CONTINUES) VITALIY LUKYANENKO IS THE MOST DECORATED PARALYMPIC BIATHLETE EVER, AND HE LEADS THE DELEGATION FROM UKRAINE INTO THE STADIUM WITH SIGNIFICANT PRIDE. (ELECTRONIC MUSIC BUILDS) MOMOKA MURAOKA'S PHILOSOPHY IS ` SMILE, SMILE, SMILE. AND SHE IS LIVING THAT PHILOSOPHY AS THE JAPANESE FLAG BEARER. IT'S A TEAM OF 38 ATHLETES COMPETING IN EVERY DISCIPLINE EXCEPT WHEELCHAIR CURLING. CAUGHT A BRIEF GLIMPSE OF HOW MUCH IT MEANS AND HOW MUCH IT EXCITES PEOPLE IN THE STANDS AS WELL. (BRIGHT MUSIC CONTINUES) 17-YEAR-OLD CROSS-COUNTRY SKIER KIM JONGHYON HAD THE HONOUR OF CARRYING THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA'S FLAG INTO THE WINTER PARALYMPIC GAMES FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. (BRIGHT MUSIC CONTINUES) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. PENG YUANYUAN, ANOTHER CROSS-COUNTRY SKIER. THE 31-YEAR-OLD IS IN HER THIRD GAME. WENT TO '06; WENT TO '10; NOT IN 2014; BUT SHE'S BACK HERE AT` WOULD YOU BELIEVE THEY'VE NEVER MEDALLED? PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AT THE WINTER GAMES ` THEY ARE INDEED THE HOST OF THE 2022 GAMES. WILL THEY WAIT TO GET THEIR FIRST MEDAL AT THE HOME GAMES, OR WILL THEY DO IT HERE? (LIVELY MUSIC PLAYS) ENTERING THE STADIUM AND PROUDLY SPORTING THE MAPLE LEAF, THE CANADIAN TEAM MAKES ITS TWELFTH WINTER PARALYMPIC APPEARANCE. THE TEAM IS LED BY 10-TIME PARALYMPIC CHAMPION BRIAN MCKEEVER. IT'S HIS FIFTH GAMES FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY SKIER AND THE SECOND TIME HE'S CARRIED HIS NATIONAL FLAG. THE SEVENTH-MOST-SUCCESSFUL WINTER PARALYMPIC NATION OF ALL TIME, FRANCE IS LED BY THE EXTRAORDINARY MARIE BOCHET. SHE'S A FIVE-TIME MEDALLIST BUT A FOUR-TIME PARALYMPIC CHAMPION. (GRAND, STIRRING MUSIC PLAYS) (CROWD CHEERS) AND THE TREMENDOUSLY PROUD FLAG BEARER HE COMPETES IN BIATHLON AND CROSS-COUNTRY. (MUSIC CONTINUES) THE STADIUM IS ON ITS FEET FOR THE HOSTS. THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA WILL HAVE REPRESENTATION IN ALL SIX SPORTS AT THESE GAMES. THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA HAS WON TWO MEDALS AT PREVIOUS PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES ` BOTH SILVER ` CLAIMED BY HAN SANG-MIN IN THE ALPINE SKIING, MEN'S GIANT SLALOM IN SALT LAKE, AND BY THE WHEELCHAIR MIXED CURLING TEAM IN VANCOUVER 2010. THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA MADE ITS DEBUT AT THE 1992 GAMES IN ALBERTVILLE. THERE'S A TANGIBLE SENSE OF PRIDE IN THE STADIUM AS IT HOSTS THE PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES. (STIRRING MUSIC PEAKS, ENDS) (CROWD CHEERS) OUR NEXT SEGMENT OF THE OPENING CEREMONY ` POSSIBLE DREAMS. SOJEONG IS A GIRL WITH A VISUAL IMPAIRMENT, BUT THIS IS NO BARRIER TO HER AMAZING IMAGINATION AND HER POSSIBLE DREAMS. SOJEONG CAN DRAW AN INFINITE NUMBER OF SHAPES AND FIGURES IN A PROJECTION OF THE EAST SEA. AND BANDABI, THE ASIATIC BLACK BEAR MASCOT WHO SYMBOLISES STRONG WILL AND COURAGE, HAS SOMETHING FOR SOJEONG ` A PAIR OF EARMUFFS. SHE PUTS THEM ON. THE WHITE WORLD OF PYEONGCHANG WILL UNFOLD BEFORE HER, A LAND WHERE IMAGINATIONS CAN BECOME A REALITY. (MUSIC SWELLS) THAT PARA-BOAT RAISES INTO THE AIR AND BRINGS WITH IT THE DREAMS AND HOPES OF EVERYONE. (ELECTRONIC MUSIC PUMPS) (CHILDREN SING) (CHILDREN SING) (FIREWORKS CRACKLE) LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE PYEONGCHANG ORGANISING COMMITTEE FOR THE 2018 OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES, LEE HEE-BEOM, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE, MR ANDREW PARSONS. (SPEAKS KOREAN) TRANSLATOR: PRESIDENT MOON JAE-IN, FIRST LADY OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA, DEAR KOREAN PEOPLE, IPC PRESIDENT ANDREW PARSONS, AND THE ENTIRE GLOBAL PARALYMPIC FAMILY MEMBERS, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS AT HOME AND ABROAD, ALL PARTICIPATING PARA-ATHLETES, AND NPC DELEGATIONS, HAVING RECOGNISED HOW MUCH YOU PARA-ATHLETES HAVE SWEATED AND SHED TEARS, COMING ALL THE WAY TO PYEONGCHANG, WE ALL KNOW THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU IS ALREADY A CHAMPION AS WELL AS A HERO. IT IS MY ARDENT WISH THAT PYEONGCHANG 2018 WILL BE TRULY BLESSED WITH YOU IN A PARALYMPIC SPIRIT THE COURAGE, DETERMINATION, INSPIRATION AND EQUALITY. (SPEAKS KOREAN) (CROWD CHEERS) SPORT FANS ALL AROUND THE WORLD, ATHLETES, OFFICIALS AND DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, HWANGYONG-HAMNIDA! (CROWD CHEERS) GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE PYEONGCHANG 2018 PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) EVERYTHING STARTS WITH A DREAM. GREAT STORIES, GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS, GREAT DRAMA. IN A DREAM, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. OVER THE NEXT 10 DAYS, BILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD WILL WITNESS DREAMS BECOMING TRUE HERE IN PYEONGCHANG. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF LUCK. THANK YOU. MUITO OBRIGADO. KAMSAHAMNIDA. (CROWD CHEERS) IT IS NOW MY HONOUR TO INVITE THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA, HIS EXCELLENCY MOON JAE-IN, TO DECLARE OPEN THE PYEONGCHANG 2018 PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) (SPEAKS KOREAN) TRANSLATOR: I DECLARE THE 2018 PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES IN PYEONGCHANG OPEN. (MAJESTIC MUSIC) (UPBEAT POP MUSIC) LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PARALYMPIC ANTHEM AND THE RAISING OF THE PARALYMPIC FLAG. (MAJESTIC MUSIC) LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE PARALYMPIC OATH. THE ATHLETE TO TAKE THE PARALYMPIC OATH ON BEHALF OF ALL ATHLETES IS LEE JU SEUNG, PARA ICE HOCKEY. ON BEHALF OF ALL JUDGES IS CHAE YOUNG-JIN, PARA ICE HOCKEY. AND BEHALF OF ALL COACHES IS BEAK JONG CHUL, WHEELCHAIR CURLING. TRANSLATOR: ON BEHALF OF ALL ATHLETES, ON BEHALF OF ALL REFEREES, ON BEHALF OF ALL COACHES AND THE PEOPLE WORKING FOR PARALYMPIANS, WE PROMISE TO TAKE PART IN THESE PARALYMPIC GAMES, RESPECTING AND ABIDING BY THE RULES AND IN THE SPIRIT OF FAIR PLAY. WE DO THIS FOR THE GLORY OF SPORT, FOR THE HONOUR OF OUR TEAMS AND IN RESPECT FOR THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF OLYMPISM. WE ALL COMMIT OURSELVES TO SPORT WITHOUT DOPING AND CHEATING. FEMALE ANNOUNCER: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE PARALYMPIC TORCH IS NOW MAKING AN ENTRANCE TO THE STADIUM IT IS, INDEED, TORCH TIME. SOUTH AND NORTH KOREA NORDIC SKIING ATHLETES ARE NOW ENTERING THE STADIUM, ATHLETES CHOI BOGUE AND MA YU CHOL. (MALE ANNOUNCER SPEAKS KOREAN) THE CO-EXISTENCE OF IDEOLOGY ` NORTH AND SOUTH COMBINING BOTH NORDIC SKIERS, SHARING THE MOMENT. ON THE SLOPES. SHE NEEDS THAT GUIDE TO HELP HER DOWN THE COURSE HERE. THIS IS A HUGE HONOUR FOR BOTH OF THEM AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY UP. WE ARE GETTING CLOSER. (MAJESTIC MUSIC) HE USES A ROPE TO CLIMB. IT'S HIS OWN STRENGTH. FINALLY, THE PARALYMPIC FLAME IS NOW DELIVERED TO THE SILVER MEDALLIST VANCOUVER 2010 PARALYMPIC GAMES AND CURLING SILVER MEDALLIST PYEONGCHANG 2018 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES ATHLETES SEO SOONSEOK AND KIM EUNJUNG. (MALE ANNOUNCER SPEAKS KOREAN) THE TORCH OF THE PYEONGCHANG 2018 PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES IS LIGHTING. (MALE ANNOUNCER SPEAKS KOREAN) (MUSIC SWELLS) (MUSIC SWELLS) WE LOOK AHEAD TO THE DAYS OF COMPETITION. WE CAN'T WAIT FOR THEM. I AM CONFIDENT THEY ARE GOING TO BE CONDUCTED IN THE BEST POSSIBLE SPIRIT. WE'LL SEE RECORDS BROKEN, FRIENDSHIPS MADE, MEDALS WON, OPPORTUNITIES TAKEN, SOME LOST. CHAPTERS AND CHAPTERS OF MEMORIES TO TAKE AWAY, AND WE'RE JUST BEGINNING.