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Korea House opens for 2026 Winter Paralympics

Published: 09 Mar. 2026, 13:43 Updated: 09 Mar. 2026, 14:28

The Korea House, which opened in Cortina, Italy, on March 7, will operate through March 15, when the 2026 Winter Paralympics close. [KOREA PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE]

CORTINA, Italy — In the mountainous town of Cortina, close to the athletes’ village, Korea opened the doors to a home away from home for its Paralympic delegation.

The Korea House — the delegation’s hub for athletic support and international engagement — began operations at the 2026 Winter Paralympics on Saturday.

The Korea House primarily focuses on helping athletes maintain their routines during the Paralympic Winter Games. The facility operates a dining center that provides Korean-style meals so athletes can compete while keeping to a familiar diet.

The venue additionally houses a support center where technicians inspect and repair competition equipment, including wheelchairs, and a lounge area where athletes can rest and recover before and after events.

During the Paralympics, national houses also act as meeting points for the international sports community. Delegations use them to introduce their countries' para sports policies and build ties with officials from around the world.

The Korea House, which opened in Cortina, Italy, on March 7, will operate through March 15, when the 2026 Winter Paralympics close. [KOREA PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE]

As a result, organizers designed the Korea House to serve as a cultural and diplomatic space during the Games.

While preserving the character of the existing local building, the interior incorporates elements inspired by Korea’s traditional hanok architecture. The design introduces Korean culture to visitors while providing a setting where sports officials from around the world can gather and exchange ideas.

“The Korea House will serve both as a support base for the Korean delegation and as a venue for sports diplomacy that introduces Korean culture to the world,” a Korea Paralympic Committee representative said. “During the Games, we plan to promote the status and values of Korean para sports through various exchanges.”

The Korea Paralympic Committee President Jung Jin-owan and delegation head Yang Oh-yeol attend the opening ceremony of the Korea House in Cortina, Italy, on March 7. [KOREA PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE]

The Korea Paralympic Committee held an opening ceremony for the venue on Saturday, a day after the Games began. The Korea House will operate through Sunday, when the Paralympics conclude.

Attendees at the ceremony included Korea Paralympic Committee President Jung Jin-owan, head of delegation Yang Oh-yeol and other staff, as well as BDH Paras Foundation Chair Bae Dong-hyun and Asian Paralympic Committee Vice President Choung Jai-jun.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
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