Attendance at the Opening Ceremony of the National Training Camp for Athletes with Disabilities
Choi Hwiyoung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, attended the "2026 National Disabled Athletes Training Opening Ceremony" held at the Icheon Training Center on the 15th, where he encouraged the national disabled athletes and exchanged New Year's greetings with the athletes and coaches.
Approximately 150 people attended the ceremony, including national disabled athletes from both summer and winter sports, sports officials, the president of the Korea Paralympic Committee, and executives and staff from sports organizations and provincial and city disabled sports associations. The event began with an opening address, followed by a congratulatory speech from Minister Choi Hwiyoung, pledges from Nam Bonggwang, a wheelchair curling athlete, and Yoon Jiyu, a table tennis athlete, as well as a celebratory performance. In addition to the opening ceremony, Minister Choi experienced goalball, a sport for the visually impaired, and communicated with the athletes.
Choi Hwiyoung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is cheering for the athletes' success at the opening ceremony of the national disabled athletes' training held on the 15th at the Icheon Training Center in Gyeonggi Province. [Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]
Minister Choi stated, "In 2026, major international competitions such as the Milano-Cortina Winter Paralympics and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games are scheduled," and added, "The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will continue to support a stable training environment by reflecting the voices from the field so that athletes can fully focus on their training."
The Ministry plans to strengthen the international competitiveness of the 2026 national disabled athletes by expanding support for participation in international competitions by sport, including qualifying events, and by enhancing support for overseas training in preparation for major international events. Through these measures, athletes will be able to accumulate practical experience and improve their adaptability on the international stage.
In addition, the Ministry will provide tailored, intensive support in areas such as nutrition, physical fitness, psychology, and equipment for outstanding athletes with high medal potential and growth prospects. Special training expenses reflecting the characteristics of each sport and training needs will also be provided to help athletes systematically improve their performance.
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