Record High Participation Rate of Disabled Persons in Recreational Sports at 33.9%

Sports Facility Usage Rate at 15.3%... Stagnant Progress

Last year, the participation rate of people with disabilities in recreational sports (exercising outside the home at least twice a week) increased significantly. According to the results of the "2023 Survey on Recreational Sports for People with Disabilities (10,000 people aged 10 to 69)" announced on the 15th by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Paralympic Committee, the rate reached 33.9%, the highest since the survey began in 2007. This is an increase of 7.3 percentage points compared to the previous year.

The 2023 Eokkaedongmu Special Sports Day, hosted by Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and others, with about 450 participants with developmental disabilities from the Seoul area, was held on the 5th at the Milal School gymnasium in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Athletes are playing a floor curling game. Photo by Younghan Heo younghan@

Their happiness index was found to be an average of 3.33 points. This was higher than those who exercised less than twice a week (3.16 points) or those with disabilities who did not exercise (3.11 points if willing, 2.84 points if unwilling).

The most common places for exercise were nearby outdoor hiking trails or parks, accounting for 47.3%. The usage rate of sports facilities remained at 15.3%. The main reasons cited for stagnation were "difficulty exercising alone (29.9%)", "lack of time (19.0%)", and "distance from sports facilities (12.9%)".

Regarding support desired during exercise, "financial support (37.5%)" was the most frequently mentioned. This was followed by "accessible facilities for people with disabilities at sports centers (16.0%)", "recreational sports programs for people with disabilities (13.9%)", "exercise equipment and gear for people with disabilities (12.0%)", and "guidance for recreational sports for people with disabilities (9.2%)".

The main motivation for those with exercise experience was "feeling the need voluntarily," accounting for 62.6%. "Recommendations from family, friends, and acquaintances" accounted for 25.3%, "mass media such as television and radio" for 10.2%, and the internet for 1.1%.

Based on these survey results, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to improve the environment for recreational sports for people with disabilities. They will expand the "Bandabi Sports Centers," which are community-based sports facilities, and increase both the number of beneficiaries and the amount of support for the "Sports Voucher Program for People with Disabilities." The monthly support amount was raised from 95,000 won last year to 110,000 won this year. The eligible age range was also expanded from 19?64 years to 5?69 years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.