Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young (third from left) on Feb. 2 poses for photos with athletes at the launch ceremony of Team Korea for the Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics in Italy at Seoul Olympic Parktel in Seoul's Songpa-gu District.

By Margareth Theresia

Photo = Heo Man-jin from Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The national team on Feb. 2 pledged to do its best at next month's Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics in Italy at the squad's launch ceremony held at Seoul Olympic Parktel in Seoul's Songpa-gu District.

The some 150 attendees included Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young, Korea Paralympic Committee (KPC) President Jung Jin-owan and delegation head Yang Oh Yeol.

A congratulatory message from President Lee Jae Myung read by Minister Chae said, "I hope you athletes can fully display the skills you've worked so hard on at the upcoming Winter Paralympics."

"Every trajectory you carve on the snow and ice is itself the history of para sports of the Republic of Korea and a message of hope for our people," the president added. "Along with the entire nation, I will cheer for you to return from the Games without injury."

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young (fourth from left in second row) on Feb. 2 poses for a group photo at the national team's launch ceremony for the Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics in Italy at Seoul Olympic Parktel in Seoul's Songpa-gu District.

Slated from March 6-15 in Milan and the resort town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, the tournament will see an estimated 660 athletes vie for 79 gold medals in six sports.

About 50 Korean athletes will compete in alpine skiing, snowboarding, the biathlon, cross-country skiing and wheelchair curling.

margareth@korea.kr