What it's like inside the bitterly cold South Korean city where the Winter Olympics are being held this year

South Korea's Pyeongchang, host city of the 2018 Winter Olympics, will welcome nearly one million athletes and spectators to its quiet slice of the Korean Peninsula this month.

The county of Pyeongchang is one of the safest places to live and visit across the globe — with one major catch. It sits only 50 miles from the border of North Korea, which has raised the prospect of war with a series of ballistic missile and nuclear weapons tests in recent months.

Stretched across rugged mountains and valleys, Pyeongchang covers an area roughly the size of Houston. More than 43,000 people live there, with many working in agriculture.

Here's what it's like to live in the host city of the 2018 Olympics.

SEE ALSO: Photographers captured these dismal scenes along the border area between North and South Korea

Pyeongchang (not to be confused with Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea) sits about the same distance from the border of North Korea and the capital of South Korea, Seoul.

The area has an average elevation of approximately 700 meters above sea level, which gives it the nickname "the Alps of Korea." Mountains cover more than 80% of the terrain.

Source: PyeongChang 2018 and Wikipedia

Pyeongchang is also one of the country's coldest places. During winter, cold air comes down from Russia and chills the area to about 35 degrees Fahrenheit and below.

Source: Wikipedia