Coway Bluewheels head coach Kim Young-moo holds a bouquet and a commendation from Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young at the club’s training court in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Courtesy of Coway
A coach leading a professional basketball club for people who use wheelchairs has received government recognition for his efforts.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Chae Hwi-young on Thursday presented a commendation to Kim Young-moo, head coach of Coway Bluewheels, which is run by Coway, a major home appliance maker. Korea Wheelchair Basketball League President Ahn Byung-tae presented the honor on behalf of the minister at the team’s training court in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.
Bluewheels is the only club run by a private company among the six teams in the league. The rest are city-run teams.
Kim, who also uses a wheelchair, and his coaching staff lead the club’s 11 athletes while providing welfare support to recognize their efforts during practices and games. In addition to providing gear and training equipment, the athletes’ training time is counted as working hours so that they are paid for their efforts.
The system paid off. In the domestic league and Asia-Oceania club exchange tournaments, the Bluewheels have won 11 titles overall. The club also achieved grand slams in 2024 and 2025 by sweeping multiple championships in Korea.
Kim has not only focused on the team’s success on the court but has also been part of the club’s efforts to raise public awareness of the league played by athletes with disabilities. During the off-season, the club collaborated with educational authorities nationwide and invited students from elementary, middle and high schools to experience the sport. So far, about 1,000 students have participated in the initiative.
Last year, the club hosted the country’s first Coway Cup, a wheelchair basketball league for youth.
Coway said Kim’s recognition highlights the company’s consistent support for sports for people with disabilities and shows that its efforts to promote social value have been publicly acknowledged.
“This honor is particularly meaningful as it recognizes the sincerity and sustainability of Coway’s long-standing support for sports for disadvantaged people. We will continue to provide multifaceted support to ensure our players can fully demonstrate their capabilities in a stable environment,” a Coway official said.
Source: Korea Times News
