The National Harmony Life Sports Festival Kicks Off on the 9th in Iksan

Over 1,200 Participants from 17 Cities and Provinces Nationwide

Jeonbuk Team Competes in 8 Events with 153 Members, the Largest Number of Participants

The Jeonbuk Disabled Sports Association (President Kim Gwan-young) announced on the 6th that the "2nd National Inclusive Sports Festival" will be held from the 9th to the 11th in Iksan City, Jeonbuk Province.

This event, now in its second year, is the largest inclusive sports festival in the country where people with and without disabilities participate together in community sports.

Park Golf Harmony Tournament.
Photo by Asia Economy DB

The competition features eight events: billiards, bowling, swimming, park golf, screen golf, sitting volleyball, wheelchair rugby, and triathlon, with over 1,200 inclusive athletes from 17 cities and provinces nationwide participating. Last year's inaugural event was held in Incheon with seven events and about 700 participants. This year, screen golf has been newly added as an event.

Competition mascot. [Image provided by Jeonbuk Disabled Sports Association]

The Jeonbuk team, led by Lee Kyung-young, Secretary General of the Jeonbuk Disabled Sports Association, as the head coach, will participate with a total of 154 athletes across all events. There are 119 athletes and 35 officials and staff. Non-disabled athletes consist of participants in community sports programs and university students linked with local colleges.

Meanwhile, Jeonbuk Province has hosted the 9th National Disabled Winter Sports Festival, the 38th National Disabled Sports Festival, the 13th National Disabled Students Sports Festival, and now this event. It is the only place in the country to have achieved a grand slam by hosting all four major disabled sports events.

Kim Gwan-young, President of the Jeonbuk Disabled Sports Association, stated, “We are very honored to hold an event where people with and without disabilities come together in Jeollabuk-do, where the egalitarian spirit of the Donghak movement lives on,” and added, “We hope the citizens will show great interest and support so that we can break down barriers, encourage and cheer each other, and achieve good results through friendly competition.”