Ahead of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics, calls are growing for the government to expand public support for Paralympic athletes and take a more active role in ensuring universal viewing access.
Rep. Lee So-hee of the People Power Party, a member of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, visited the Veterans Rehabilitation Sports Center in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Tuesday for a meeting with officials and athletes from the Korea Disabled Veterans Sports Association.
"I will closely review the support system for the Disabled Veterans Sports Association, which goes beyond rehabilitation to train professional athletes, national team members, and Paralympic medalists," Lee said.
Concerns were also raised about limited viewer access due to inadequate efforts to secure broadcasting rights for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics.
"Disabled veteran athletes who were injured in the line of duty as soldiers and police officers are sacrificing for their country more than twice by competing on the world stage wearing the Taegeukgi again," Lee said. "We cannot evaluate Paralympic broadcasts solely by market logic or leave it to broadcasters' discretion."
She added, "When all citizens can watch the challenges and achievements of Paralympic athletes together, prejudice against disabilities will diminish, and the constitutional value of social integration will be strengthened."
Lee also noted that in the United States, veteran athletes actively exercise public leadership in their communities and in Congress. "We need to consider a system that develops those who have served the country not merely as recipients of support, but as leaders in their communities," she said.
Athletes at the meeting echoed the importance of public attention to the Paralympics. "When the Paralympics are fully broadcast and more citizens can watch the games, athletes receive recognition, and it becomes a dream and motivation for younger athletes," they said.
"As a member of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, which handles disabled sports and Paralympic policy, I will establish a support system so that disabled veteran athletes can grow into community leaders, and I will thoroughly examine policy measures to guarantee universal viewing access," Lee said.
The meeting was attended by Song Gu-young, director of the Disabled Veterans Sports Association's Rehabilitation Sports Center, along with Song Shin-nam, who won Korea's first Paralympic gold medal in table tennis since liberation, para ice hockey national team member Lee Ji-hoon who switched to archery, and national shooting team members Seo Hoon-tae and Jo Jeong-du. Representatives from four federations also attended, including Lee Woo-myeong (lawn bowls), Yoo In-sik (archery), Kang Cha-su (table tennis), and Jeong Dong-soon (shooting).
