Visitors to the 31st drawing competition for the disabled try their hand at curling at the National Folk Museum of Korea where a hands-on events were held to promote the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, in Seoul on April 25.
By Min Yea-Ji and Kim Young Shin
Photos = Jeon Han
April 17, 2017 | Seoul
“Curling, for its simple rules!”
So said Park Eun Ju, the head of the Family Support Department at the Seoul Rehabilitation Center on Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, when she was asked which activity was the most popular among the hands-on events that were on offer at the National Folk Museum of Korea to promote next year’s Winter Olympic Games. The special event was held alongside the 31st competition and drawing for the disabled, in Seoul on April 25.
“Curling only requires a pushing movement,” she said. “That makes it easier for the disabled to get involved.”
“There isn’t any difficult rehabilitation or training, so they won’t be exhausted,” she said as to why participants would be fascinated in the sport. “Also, they can get feedback right away.” .
Participants in a hands-on preview for next year’s Winter Olympics and Paralympics hold up an Olympic torch and pose for a photo at the National Folk Museum of Korea, in Seoul on April 25.
Visitors to the 31st arts and drawing competition for the disabled try out some VR skiing at the National Fork Museum of Korea, in Seoul on April 25.
The hands-on activities were held as part of a drawing contest for the mentally and developmentally disabled in Seoul, which has taken place yearly for the past 30 years. Visitors were invited to try curling, ice hockey and virtual reality skiing, and were able to pose for a photo with an Olympic torch with the Alpensia Ski Jumping Center as background. The Winter Games open in Korea in 10 months.
“Around 4,000 people participated in the event today, including 2,100 disabled Olympic fans,” said Oh Changhyun, curator at the National Folk Museum of Korea. “We suggested that the PyeongChang organizing committee hold such special events alongside our yearly competition to promote next year’s Winter Games.”
“The event was very popular, so we’re planning to hold it again from May 1 to 7 for those who visit on Children’s Day, May 5, and we’ll continue to pump up the PyeongChang Olympics next year.”
jesimin@korea.kr
