Yoon Yoo-min, currently serving as the vice chair of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletes' Committee, has been elected as the chair of the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC). This marks the first time a Korean athlete has held leadership positions in both organizations simultaneously.
The APC announced on November 6 that Yoon Yoo-min has been elected as the new chair.
Previously, Yoon was elected as an APC athlete representative during elections held on October 23, coinciding with the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games. With this election, he will represent Asian athletes with disabilities for the next four years until 2030.
As chair, Yoon's responsibilities have significantly increased. He will participate as an ex-officio member of the APC Executive Committee, exercising voting rights and directly engaging in key decision-making processes for disability sports in Asia, including proposing athlete-centered policy agendas and presiding over committee meetings.
Yoon's sports career is diverse. He lost both legs in a traffic accident at the age of four and immigrated to Canada at 12, where he played wheelchair basketball. He represented Canada at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.
After regaining his South Korean nationality in 2017, Yoon switched to Nordic skiing. He has since competed under the South Korean flag at the 2022 Beijing and 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics. Recently, he also participated as a member of the national wheelchair rugby team at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.
Choi Hwi-young, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, congratulated Yoon in a message. He stated, "Chairman Yoon Yoo-min has become an important bridge connecting Asian and global disability sports by serving as both vice chair of the IPC Athletes' Committee and chair of the APC Athletes' Committee."
Choi added, "The significance of Yoon also lies in the fact that he can amplify South Korea's voice in major decision-making processes in Asian disability sports as he concurrently serves as chair of the Athletes' Committee and a member of the APC Executive Committee. I expect him to play a significant role in advancing the rights of Asian athletes with disabilities, leveraging his extensive international experience and exceptional leadership. Furthermore, I hope he will contribute to the development of Asian disability sports and enhance South Korea's standing in the international sports community."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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