Of the 1,000 people surveyed by the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, 55.1 per cent agreed as such.

A total of 14.2 per cent of respondents said they were pessimistic about next year’s Games, which are scheduled to take place from February 9 to 25.

Public interest was ranked as the most important factor for success, with 62.9 per cent saying this was the case. 

Infrastructure was ranked second with 17.9 per cent, followed by visitor convenience with 8.9 per cent and staff member capability with 5.8 per cent.

A Ministry official told Yonhap the expectation is that public interest will increase following the South Korean Presidential election on May 9.

Park Geun-hye became the first democratically elected South Korea leader to be forced from office after being impeached earlier this year.

The scandal centered around her links to Choi Soon-sil, her 60-year-old adviser, who allegedly exerted "undue influence" on policy-making despite having no official Government role.

Chief judge Lee Jung-mi said Park had violated the constitution and law "throughout her term" and illegally concealed the truth and lied to the press.

Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn has indicated he will not run for a term in his own right.

The election was originally scheduled to be held on December 20, 2017, less than two months before the Pyeongchang 2018 Opening Ceremony, but was moved after the decision of the Constitutional Court to uphold the Parliament's impeachment of Park.

"The public interest for the Pyeongchang Games wasn't high ahead of South Korea's Presidential election," the official told Yonhap.

"But we expect the public interest to go up when new administration is inaugurated and as the Olympics get closer."

The survey also showed just 35.6 per cent were interested in Pyeongchang 2018, while only 14.9 per cent said they were aware of the mascots for the Olympics and Paralympics, white tiger Soohorang and Asiatic black bear Bandabi respectively.

A total of 84.8 per cent of the respondents said they would prefer to watch the Games on television with just 9.2 per cent saying they would visit the venues.

Figure skating was the most popular individual event for respondents who would like to buy tickets, with 41.6 per cent of the vote.

The Opening Ceremony was second with 25.9 per cent, followed by ski jumping with 24.5 per cent and short track speed skating with 21.1 per cent.

Only 24.9 per cent said they had an interest in multi-sport events for athletes with impairments, but 68.2 per cent claimed to be aware of the Winter Paralympics.

The Pyeongchang 2018 Paralympics are due to be held from March 9 to 18.