The 20th National Sports Festival for Students with Disabilities, themed “Challenge and Growth,” kicked off on May 12 for a four-day competition. 
A record 4,283 participants, including 1,979 athletes and 2,304 officials and staff, are taking part in this year’s event, competing across 17 sports. The lineup includes five core sports (goalball, boccia, swimming, athletics, table tennis), 11 popular sports (basketball, disc golf, volleyball, badminton, bowling, weightlifting, rowing, football, floorball, e-sports, and shlun), and one exhibition sport (showdown). Among the participating delegations, Gyeonggi Province has the largest contingent with 669 members, including 292 athletes and 377 officials.
On the opening day, competitions were held in five sports (boccia, swimming, weightlifting, athletics, e-sports), with 59 athletes winning gold medals. In the women’s 100m freestyle S5–S6 swimming event, Yoon Chae-woo (14, Gyeonggi Provincial Sports Association for the Disabled) touched the pad first with a time of 2:13.39 to claim gold. Yoon was first selected as a rookie by the Korea Swimming Federation for the Disabled in 2023 and won gold in the 100m breaststroke and bronze in the 50m and 100m freestyle at the 2025 Dubai Asian Youth Para Games.
The opening ceremony was held on May 12 at the Sajik Indoor Gymnasium in Busan under the theme “Voyage of Light, Busan! Into the Waves of Emotion!” The event was attended by approximately 1,600 people, including Korea Paralympic Committee President Jeong Jin-wan, Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry Second Vice Minister Kim Dae-hyun, acting Busan Mayor Kim Kyung-duk, acting Busan Superintendent of Education Lee Kang-kook, along with delegations from cities and provinces and local citizens.
During the ceremony, a cheering video featuring Nordic ski national team athlete Kim Yoon-ji, who performed impressively at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics, was shown, drawing loud applause from participants and spectators. Athlete representatives Kwon Hwi-sang and Lee Chae-yeon (badminton, Busan) and referee representative Kim Mu-jin (boccia) pledged fair competition.
In his opening address, Korea Paralympic Committee President Jeong Jin-wan said, “The National Sports Festival for Students with Disabilities is a stage of challenge where student athletes gain confidence through sports, discover their potential, and move toward bigger dreams. The Korea Paralympic Committee will always be with them to help more students with disabilities pursue their dreams through sports.”
Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry Second Vice Minister Kim Dae-hyun remarked, “The ministry has supported student athletes so they can fully engage in sports and realize their dreams with more opportunities. We will continue to work so that all youth and children with disabilities can participate in sports on an ongoing basis.”
Acting Busan Mayor Kim Kyung-duk stated, “This festival goes beyond records and rankings—it is a festival of harmony where we understand, cheer, and grow together. Busan will do its utmost to provide the best stage for all athletes through smooth event operations and athlete support.”
Outside the Sajik Indoor Gymnasium, a sports experience program called “Dream Paralympics” was held to improve disability awareness, targeting local elementary and middle school students, participants, and general visitors. The Korea Paralympic Committee reported that students and citizens had the opportunity to directly experience wheelchair basketball, boccia, showdown, and other para sports, fostering a positive change in perceptions of disabilities.
