President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook cheer during the cross-country skiing qualification rounds at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, at the Alpensia Biathlon Centre in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do Province, on March 14.
By Sohn JiAe
Photos = Cheong Wa Dae
President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook cheered for South and North Korean athletes at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games on March 14.
Watching three cross-country skiing qualification rounds for the men’s and women’s 1.1 km sprint sitting and the men’s 1.5 km spring classic at the Paralympic Games, the president and the first lady joined in with the cheers from the audience for South Korea’s Sin Eui Hyun, Choi Bogue, Lee Doyeon and Seo Vo Ra Mi and also for North Korea’s Ma Yu Chol and Kim Jong Hyon.
In the men’s 1.1 km sprint sitting event, Sin Eui Hyun, the bronze medalist in the men’s 15 km event, came in eighth among 36 racers and advanced to the semifinals. Ma Yu Chol and Kim Jong Hyon of the North, meanwhile, finished in 31st and 32nd place, respectively, and got dropped from the preliminaries.
Choi Bogue ranked in 18th place and was disqualified in the men’s 1.5 km sprint classic visually impaired event, while Lee Doyeon and Seo Vo Ra Mi crossed the finish line in 18th and 19th place, respectively, in the women’s 1.1 km sprint sitting event and couldn’t advance to the semifinals.
President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with North Korean cross-country skiers Ma Yu Chol and Kim Jong Hyon who competed in the men’s 1.1 km sprint sitting event at the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games on March 14.
After the races, President Moon met in-person the South and North Korean athletes and their coaches to share some words of encouragement.
The president said to Sin Eui Hyun, “A while ago, I talked to your mother and she was so proud of you. Doing your best is the best in and of itself.”
To the two North Korean skiers, the president expressed his gratitude for trying to put on a good show here in Pyeongchang, and hoped that a day would come when South Korean athletes, too, could compete in Pyongyang. He then said to the North Korean team representatives, “Hopefully, the two Koreas will further revitalize exchanges in terms of sports.”
President Moon Jae-in poses for a photo with South and North Korean cross-country skiers at the Alpensia Biathlon Centre on March 14.
jiae5853@korea.kr
