More than 1,200 people, including 1,000 residents of Gangwon province, form the shape of a dove out of candlelight during the opening ceremony.
Beginning with fireworks and ending with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, Pyeongchang's Winter Olympics opening ceremony, called "Peace in Motion," took place Friday evening amid gusts of wind and frigid temperatures.
Watching inside the Olympic stadium was a crowd of more than 30,000 — including South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who shook hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister Kim Yo Jong. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Vice President Pence sat nearby.
In the parade of nations — 92 are taking part in these Olympics — American luger Erin Hamlin, a four-time Olympian, served as Team USA's flag-bearer. A unified Korean team marched together under a unification flag. But many thought Pita Taufatofua — who competed in taekwondo in Rio's Summer Games and is in Pyeongchang to compete in cross-country skiing — stole the show by reprising his bare-chested appearance as flag-bearer for Tonga.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
Martin Bernetti / AFP/Getty Images
/
AFP/Getty Images
Spectators watch fireworks go off at the start of the opening ceremony.
Top: Performers with candles; a makeup artist applies glitter to a performer backstage. Bottom: Dancers perform inside a tiger.
Franck Fife / AFP/Getty Images
/
AFP/Getty Images
South Korean figure skater Yuna Kim performs before lighting the Olympic cauldron.
Matthias Hangst / Getty Images
/
Getty Images
North and South Korean athletes enter together under the Korean unification flag during the parade of athletes.
Patrick Semansky / AP
/
AP
Kim Yo Jong (left), the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, shakes hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Mark Ralston / AFP/Getty Images
/
AFP/Getty Images
The crowd stands amid lights.
David J. Phillip / AP
/
AP
South Korean Olympic figure skating champion Yuna Kim kindles the Olympic flame.
Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP/Getty Images
/
AFP/Getty Images
A firework display during the opening ceremony.
Lars Baron; Jonathan Nackstrand; Frank Fife;Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images
/
Getty Images
Fire displays light up the opening ceremony before the Olympic cauldron (bottom left) is kindled.
Jae C. Hong / AP
/
AP
Pita Taufatofua, who competed in taekwondo in the 2016 Rio Olympics and will compete in cross-country skiing in Pyeongchang, carries the flag of Tonga during the opening ceremony.
Martin Bureau/AFP; Richard Heathcote; Matthias Hangst / Getty Images
/
Getty Images
Performers entertain the crowd during the opening ceremony.
Brendan Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images
/
AFP/Getty Images
Some 20,000 fireworks were set off during the opening ceremony at the Pyeongchang Stadium.
The explosion struck inside the ministry, killing Khalil Haqqani, officials said. His last official photo showed him at a meeting chaired by the deputy prime minister earlier Wednesday.
Jimmy "Jay" Lee's body has never been found, but a judge declared him dead. Jurors said they were unable to reach a verdict after over nine and a half hours of deliberation.
Malian armed forces, the Russia-backed Wagner Group and jihadi groups deliberately killed civilians and burned homes in Mali according to Human Rights Watch.
North Carolina lawmakers have enacted a law over the governor's veto that would diminish the powers afforded to his successor and other other Democratic statewide winners in the Nov. 5 elections.
The drones have been seen above critical infrastructure like reservoirs, rail stations and military bases. The governor says there is "no known threat," but the FBI is still investigating.
