Geochang County Opens a New Chapter in Accessible Sports with Futuristic 'Drone Soccer'

An ICT-Based Indoor Sport

Operable Year-Round

The Disabled Drone Soccer Team of Geochang County, Gyeongnam held its inauguration ceremony at the Geochang County Multipurpose Gymnasium on March 25, 2026 (Wednesday), officially announcing its launch.

Led by the Geochang County Branch of the Gyeongnam Spinal Cord Injury Association, the Geochang County Disabled Drone Soccer Team was established to expand the base of accessible sports for people with disabilities and to create a foundation for a new type of sports activity that can be continuously enjoyed indoors.

The inauguration ceremony served as an opportunity to introduce the potential of drone soccer to the local community, as well as to share future operational directions and plans for recruiting new members.

Geochang County, Disabled Drone Soccer Team Inauguration Ceremony at Multipurpose Gymnasium Group Photo

Drone soccer is a sport in which drones are controlled to pass through a goalpost, making both piloting skills and teamwork, as well as strategy, crucial. In particular, as a sport that can be played indoors and is less affected by weather and seasons, it is considered to have great potential as an accessible sport for people with disabilities.

Based on these characteristics, the Geochang County Disabled Drone Soccer Team aims to provide people with disabilities in the region with new opportunities for challenge and participation.

The team is headed by Kim Kyungjin, the head of the Geochang County Branch of the Gyeongnam Spinal Cord Injury Association. Kim Kyungjin emphasized that the launch of the team should mark the beginning of a culture of accessible sports in which local people with disabilities grow together through regular training and team activities, moving beyond simple spectating or one-time experiences.

He also expressed his commitment to ensuring that drone soccer becomes an activity that instills confidence and a sense of achievement among people with disabilities.

The team’s head coach, Lee Jinseong, is responsible for overseeing training and tactics. Coach Lee plans to create an environment where even beginners can easily participate by implementing a systematic program that includes basic piloting, team tactics, game management, and safety education.

Through these efforts, the Geochang County Disabled Drone Soccer Team aims to develop the competitiveness necessary to participate not only in accessible sports within the region but also in exchange matches and various competitions.

With its founding, the Geochang County Disabled Drone Soccer Team is also recruiting new members. The team plans to operate a step-by-step program so that people with disabilities with no prior drone piloting experience can participate, and to broaden participation by offering various roles beyond piloting, such as record keeping, operations, and maintenance.

A representative of the Geochang County Branch of the Gyeongnam Spinal Cord Injury Association stated, "This inauguration is more than just adding a new sport; it is the starting point for expanding accessible sports in which people with disabilities can interact and take on new challenges within the community. We hope for greater interest and participation so that the Geochang County Disabled Drone Soccer Team can operate actively going forward."

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