The POSCO Pohang Works hosted the ‘3rd Eoullympic 2026′ on September 19 at the Pohang Yangdeok Hanmaeum Gymnasium, bringing together corporate employees and disabled athletes for a day of inclusive community sports competition. According to local reports, the event was organized in collaboration with the Pohang Northern Disability Comprehensive Welfare Center as part of the POSCO 1% Sharing Project.
Bridging Communities Through Inclusive Sport
Combining the Korean words for “harmony” (Eoullim) and “Paralympics,” the Eoullympic aims to nurture and expand grassroots opportunities for disabled athletes. The event featured pairings where POSCO Pohang Works employees, their family members, and staff from POSCO Humans teamed up in pairs of two with disabled sports competitors. Action on the gymnasium floor ran continuously from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time, covering six distinct sporting disciplines designed to accommodate varied athletic needs.
Six Disciplines Highlighted in Competition
Participants competed across badminton, table tennis, Sjoelen (슐런), Hankung (한궁), Boccia, and screen park golf. Sjoelen is a traditional Dutch board game where players slide wooden pucks down a board to score points in targeted openings, while Hankung merges traditional Korean archery mechanics with modern dart scoring. Boccia, a precision ball sport, requires competitors to propel balls as close as possible to a target ball using hands, mouth sticks, or ramps.
Beyond the gymnasium, the Pohang Works has maintained a broader support framework for disabled athletes, funding training programs and athletic activities throughout the region. In July, the organization sponsored a ‘Music & Festival’ arts event to support disabled performers in the community. Park Gwang-yeol, a team leader at the Pohang Northern Disability Comprehensive Welfare Center, noted that the steelmaker’s ongoing commitment provides meaningful support for local athletes while creating lasting memories for staff, volunteers, and competitors alike.
Upcoming Community Outreach and Social Contribution
The initiative operates under the umbrella of the POSCO 1% Foundation, which relies on voluntary payroll donations from POSCO group employees to fund community welfare programs. Following the conclusion of the sports festival, Pohang Works outlined plans for subsequent community engagements, including a cheerful family sports day scheduled for November aimed at children with developmental disabilities, followed by a coal briquette distribution drive in December.
Worth a look
