President Moon Jae-in promised all-out support for the upcoming PyeongChang Paralympic Winter Games on Friday, calling the games a rare chance to improve conditions for all people with disabilities.
"I believe the PyeongChang Paralympic Games will further increase the people's interest in disabilities and sports for people with disabilities. I hope the prejudice that those with disabilities are people who need help will disappear, and that we will all realize we can all give hope and courage to one another whether or not we have disabilities," the president said in a ceremony marking the launch of the country's national team for the quadrennial event that will begin next Friday.
"I hope such changes will be a source of our pride," Moon added.
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(Yonhap) |
The Paralympic Games will be the first of their kind to be held in Korea since the 1988 Games that followed the Seoul Summer Olympic Games the same year. The upcoming event follows the Winter Olympic Games, which were held in PyeongChang from Feb. 9-25.
The PyeongChang Paralympic Games will be the largest of their kind, with 570 athletes from 49 countries, according to local organizers.
"I wish to turn our country into the most exemplary nation where sports for the disabled are most actively played. I will work to that end with a special interest," the president told the ceremony, which was attended by the country's 80-member delegation to the event.
The president also vowed full support for the upcoming event, noting the success of the entire PyeongChang Olympic Games depended on its success.
"We greatly succeeded in hosting the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Now it is time for the Paralympics. It will only be a true success when the Paralympics too become an exciting festival," he said.(Yonhap)
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