Winter Olympics next month will have most athletes ever, organizers say

SEOUL, South Korea -- Next month's Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, will have the largest number of athletes ever for the Winter Games, the organizing committee said today.

A total of 2,925 athletes from 92 countries are set to compete in this year’s Winter Games, organizers said. Over 2,800 athletes and 88 countries participated in the Sochi Winter Games in 2014, according to the International Olympic Committee, setting the current record for the Winter Olympics.

Six countries will make their Winter Games debut in Pyeongchang -- Malaysia, Singapore, Ecuador, Kosovo, Nigeria and Eritrea,

Public interest in the Olympics, which begin on Feb. 9, has grown since North Korea decided to participate. The two Koreas agreed to form a joint female ice hockey team and to march together under a shared flag during the opening ceremony.