On the 20th, the Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH Corporation) announced that President Hwang Sang-ha visited the Misaryeong Park Canoe and Kayak Stadium to encourage athletes from the disabled rowing team who were training in honor of Memorial Month.
In April 2019, SH Corporation became the first public institution in Korea to establish a disabled rowing team as part of its workplace sports department.
Currently, the team consists of six athletes who acquired disabilities during military service, including Hah Jae-heon, a reserve sergeant who lost both legs in a landmine explosion caused by North Korea at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in 2015, and Nam Ji-hyun, a reserve sergeant who lost her vision due to a rare disease while serving in the Special Warfare Command.
The team has achieved excellent results, winning 20 gold medals, 13 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals in major competitions last year.
On that day, President Hwang encouraged the athletes who were concentrating on training despite the hot weather and listened to their concerns and suggestions.
President Hwang said, “We will remember the soldiers who dedicated and sacrificed themselves for the country and will spare no support needed for them,” adding, “We will practice ‘walking with the vulnerable’ through active support.”