By Dr. Seok-jae Kang
Vice President, Asia Journalists Association
SEOUL: The First Seoul Metropolitan City Harmony Sport-for-All Hangung Competition, where people with and without disabilities gathered together, successfully concluded on October 29, 2025 at the Grand Auditorium of the Jung-gu Community Center in Seoul, Korea.
The event, hosted and organized by the Seoul Hangung Association, drew about 300 male and female, abled and disabled athletes, officials, referees and safety personnel. It was sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Sports Council.
Among the attendees were Kang Seok-jae, president of the Seoul Hangung Association; Ko Deok-jin, vice president of the Korean Seoul Senior Citizens Association; Chon Yong-hun, advisor to the Korea Hangung Association; Lee Seung-kyung, president of the Gyeonggi-do Hangung Association; Lee Jun-hyeong, secretary general of the Korea Hangung Association.
The Harmony Sport-for-All Hangung event was conducted with the cooperation of the Korean Seoul Senior Citizens Association. It was the first competition held by the Seoul Hangung Association with a subsidy from the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s support project for private group sports competitions.
To prioritize the safety of the participants, 10 safety personnel were deployed at the event.
Other distinguished guests included Lee Kwang-kyun, a board member of GCS International; Hong Duck-hwa, secretary general of GCS International; Hong Seong-man, advisor to the Goodwill Store of the Together Foundation; and Kang Young-sil, a board member of the International Center for Korean Culture.
The pre-opening ceremony event featured performances by singer Lee Jun-hyeong, grass-pipe artist Kim Choong-geun and soprano Baek Hyun-ae.
During the opening ceremony, Soprano Baek Hyun-ae was appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador of the Seoul Hangung Association.
Following the opening ceremony, Choo Dong-sin, secretary general of the Seoul Hangung Association, explained the competition rules.
In the team competition, Yeongdeungpo-gu won both the men’s and women’s divisions, with Gwanak-gu taking 2nd place, and Seodaemun-gu securing 3rd place.
In the men’s individual competition, the glory of the first place went to Seo Yong-tae of Yeongdeungpo-gu, the second to Lee Cheol-soo of Jongno-gu, and the third to Wi Gwang-bok of Gwanak-gu. In the women’s individual division, the gold medal went to Ko Ok-ja of Gwanak-gu, the second to Shin Soon-hee of Yeongdeungpo-gu, and the third to Jang Hwa-soon of Mapo-gu.
In the disability individual competition, which drew 28 participants, Jo In-jun of the Namsangol Day Care Center took 1st place; Han Sung-yoon and Jung Jaeyoung of the Junglim Disabled Day Care Center took 2nd and 3rd place, respectively. Medals were awarded to all disabled athletes.
Tumblers sponsored by the Korea Culture Foundation were presented to the winners and distinguished guests.
Kang Seok-jar, president of the Seoul Hangung Association, said in his opening address, “Today’s Hangung competition is a meaningful occasion to share the values of health, happiness, and peace. I extend my deepest gratitude to all the officials who worked hard for this competition, and especially to President Ko Gwang-seon of the Korea Seoul Senior Citizens Association for his generous cooperation.”
“Our association will continue to promote ‘Harmony Hangung competitions’ where people with and without disabilities participate together, taking the lead in practicing the spirit of Hongik Ingan, or to benefit mankind, the philosophy of Hangung,” President Kang added.
“This event is expected to be more than just about winning or losing games; it’s a venue for communication, empathy, integration, and harmony through sports. Everyone here today is a true winner. I hope that the beautiful sight of encouraging and cheering each other, where people with and without disabilities laugh and sweat together, fills today’s competition venue.”
