Every corner of South Korea's Olympic village is under surveillance ahead of tonight's opening of the Winter games.

The opening ceremony for the Pyeongchang Games starts just before midnight New Zealand time.

Security will be paramount over the next two weeks, particularly because the games are happening under the backdrop of a tense nuclear stand-off between North and South Korea.

New Zealand Chef de Mission Peter Wardell told Mike Hosking security personnel are everywhere.

"They're just firmly polite and very efficient."

He says there's heavy security around all the Olympic venues.

"That's been done by private security firms and there's quite a few military and police helping them as well.

"If you don't have the right credentials to get somewhere, there's no way you're going to get there."