"Fighting, Team Paris Paralympics Korea!" Minister of Affairs Yoo In-chon attends the opening ceremony on the 28th...We're cheering for you until the 31st

Aug 28, 2024

Photo =Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Heo Man-jin

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon (hereinafter referred to as the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) will support the national representatives of the disabled in Korea as the government's representative at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

Minister Yoo, who watched Hong Seok-man's world record gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics when he served as the first Minister of Culture in the Lee Myung Bak government, is a big fan of the Paralympics. Early ahead of Paris 2024, the Paris Olympics gave the second vice minister Jang Mi-ran a central role, and the Paris Paralympics expressed their willingness to take care of the on-site schedule, including the opening ceremony, from the determination ceremony.

Minister Yoo, who arrived in Paris, France on the 27th, will attend the opening ceremony of the Paris Paralympics and a sports minister reception hosted by the French government before the opening ceremony on the 28th. The Korean press corps at the Paris Paralympics will also meet and encourage them. On the first day of the competition on the 29th, he will visit the Boccia Men's Individual Stadium, starting with the 100-meter swimming men's 100-meter swimming, 100-meter women's 100-meter swimming, and 50-meter men's breaststroke preliminaries. It also plans to visit the athletes' village to look at the team's situation room, medical and science rooms, and athletes' restaurants and eat with team officials to see if there are any shortcomings. On-site cheering will be held for the men's and women's badminton team and doubles on the 30th, the men's doubles match for Joo Jung-hoon, who will challenge for his second consecutive medal in men's taekwondo on the 31st, and the men's doubles match for table tennis.

Courtesy of the Korean Sports Council for the Disabled

Minister Yoo will also visit the Paris Paralympics 'Para Team Korea House' to inspect the site and encourage officials. The Para Team Korea House, which has been in operation since the 2008 Beijing Games, is a hub for supporting our athletes, promoting Korean culture, and sports diplomacy. The Para Team Korea House will be used as a space to promote the 2025 International Olympic Committee for the Disabled (IPC) regular general meeting and Korea Sports Policy while promoting extended reality (XR) sports devices, sports experiences for the disabled, and K-culture.

Minister Yoo will also continue sports diplomacy activities to expand the influence of sports for the disabled in Korea at the Paris site. On the 30th, Andrew Parsons, chairman of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), and NPC chairmen of each country will meet to promote the '2025 International Paralympic Committee Regular General Meeting'. On the 29th, he plans to visit the Paris Paralympics 'France House' to discuss the expansion of sports exchanges between Korea and France.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon visited Paris where the Paralympic Games will be held to support athletes with disabilities in Korea. I am well aware of the efforts of the players who have endured the difficult training process over the past four years and worked hard under the name of the Korean national team. The strong steps and achievements are an infinite honor for individual players, but the glory of our Republic of Korea..." He expressed his heart, saying, "We will sincerely support the people to show the skills that our team has honed so far and to finish the game in good health.'

sky4us@sportschosun.com