Minister Yu Inchon X Representative Na Kyung-won attended the Paris Paralympics and the 'Korean Night'...'Building a Future Together Through Sports'

Aug 31, 2024

Paris Paralympics'Korea Night' event. From left, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo In-chon, President of the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled, Na Kyung-won, Member of the People's Power, Bae Dong-hyun, Head of the Paris Paralympic Games, Photo courtesy of the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled

The Korea Sports Association for the Disabled concluded the event of the 30th 'Korea Night' on the news of the first gold medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

At 7:30 p.m. on the 30th (local time), the event held at Le Dernier Etage in Paris' 18th district gathered international disabled sports figures, including the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Paralympic Committee by continent (RO) such as Asia, Oceania, and Africa, and the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) executives. About 200 people attended, including Chung Jin-wan, chairman of the Korea Sports Council for the Disabled, Bae Dong-hyun, head of the Paris Paralympic Games, and IPC Chairman Andrew Parsons, IPC Executive Committee member Jung Jae-joon, and APC Chairman Majid Rashid. Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yoo In-chon, a big fan of sports for the disabled, National Assemblyman Na Kyung-won, who served as an executive member of the IPC, and Ambassador of the Korean Embassy Choi Jae-chul also represented the government and the National Assembly.

Bae Dong-hyun, the head of the Korean delegation, said, "Korea has contributed to the movement of the world Paralympic Games beyond the development of sports for the disabled by hosting the biggest sports events for the disabled, including the 1988 Seoul Summer Paralympic Games and the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympic Games"We will continue to strive for the development of sports for the disabled around the world and look forward to seeing you all again at the IPC's regular general meeting in Seoul in 2025" delivered a welcome message.

IPC Chairman Parsons said"The Paralympic movement around the world could not develop without the assistance of the Korean Sports Council for the Disabled"We are truly grateful to the officials of the Korean Sports Association for the Disabled for creating a meaningful place in a meaningful space as a family" said a greeting.

Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yoo In-chon, who has been supporting Paralympic national team members at the site since attending the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games on the 27th, said "Coming to the Paris Paralympics, which I visited for the first time in 16 years since the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games, I could feel how advanced sports for the disabled around the world have become."I hope you will feel the essence of Korean culture such as K-culture and K-pop along with sports for the disabled during the Paris Paralympics."

Na Kyung-won, the honorary chairman of the Korea Special Olympics Committee and a former member of the IPC who is serious about the Paralympic movement, said, `Seven years ago when I served as an IPC executive member, I was very encouraged and moved to see the athletes who exceeded me every time as if there were no limits"I will continue to help create a future in which no one is left out in the future as we develop together through sports, and a world in which no one is left out," he said.

The performance of the Beautiful Mind Ensemble, which consists of an integrated orchestra for the disabled and non-disabled, received great response at the event. With repertoires such as 'Arirang Fantasy'Beautiful World'New Song', it showed how it became one without barriers to obstacles through beautiful melodies containing Korean beauty.

sky4us@sportschosun.com