The Winter Paralympics are about to commence in Verona, Italy, with the opening ceremony at the historical Roman arena, a significant venue that bridges the end of the Winter Olympics to the start of the Paralympics. This year's games, which run from March 7 to 16, 2026, will see participation from 665 athletes representing over 40 countries competing for 79 gold medals. Notably, this edition of the Paralympics marks the 50th anniversary since their inception in 1976 in Sweden and the first time they are hosted in Italy since the Torino Games in 2006.

South Korea will send a delegation of 56 athletes across five sports, aiming for a medal haul including one gold and one bronze. Noteworthy athletes include 56-year-old Bang Min-ja, a veteran in wheelchair curling, and 15-year-old Park Chae-i, a promising alpine skier. Each athlete expressed their hopes and determination to perform well in the games, with Bang focusing on overcoming past disappointments and Park excited to prove her potential on the international stage.

While South Korea did not achieve any podium finishes at the previous Paralympics in Beijing, they had a successful run at their home games in Pyeongchang, where they won one gold and two bronze medals. The players are particularly optimistic about achieving success in mixed-doubles wheelchair curling and para-nordic skiing, emphasizing their commitment to strong performances as they strive to elevate the nation's presence in the competition.