South Korea has hired a Russian coach to train its national figure skating team for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games.

Russian Sergey Astashev is the national team’s first foreign coach. He will stay at the national training center in Taereung, Seoul, where he will train the figure skaters in intensive skating skills for one year.

By hiring Astashev, South Korea expects to see good results at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games.

The Korea Skating Union is also planning to pick and nurture players for pair skating and ice dancing in preparation for the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeognchang.