In the ITTF Asian ParaChampionships 2025 held in China in October, Kim Yong Rok, table tennis playerof the Korea Sports Association of the Disabled, took the first place in theMS7.
Born in Chollima District,Nampho, he was good at studying and singing from his childhood.
At that time, he dreamed ofbecoming a soldier of the Korean People’s Army to defend the motherland.
However, at the age of 11, helost his both hands and large parts of his arms in an accident. He was so dispiritedthat he gave up his dream and ideal.
But the disabled boy could studyto his heart’s content receiving new uniforms and school things like normalchildren under the care of the socialist state.
One day when he was 20 yearsold, he happened to go to a stadium with the help of his caring friends andplayed table tennis for the first time, fixing a racket to his arm with anelastic band.
That day, he came to know thattable tennis games for disabled persons like him and amateurs are held everyyear and thought that he could take up the sport.
As he eagerly started learningtable tennis, his life changed. His face brightened and even his manner ofwalking got vigorous. Many table tennis amateurs gave bountiful aids to thedisabled young man and his skills improved quickly day by day.
One year later, he took thefirst place in the men’s singles at the table tennis games of disabled personsand amateurs held in Nampho.
Thanks to the loving care ofthe socialist country, he became a table tennis player of the Korea SportsAssociation of the Disabled and could further realize his wish and display histalents.
Since 2016, he has triumphed inthe table tennis games of disabled persons and amateurs every year. He snatchedhis first gold medal in the men’s doubles at the ITTF Asian Para Championships 2019.
He was awarded the Kim Il Sung Youth Honour Prize.
In those days, he cherished aprecious dream and ideal that he would add honour to the motherland and exalt theDPRK flag by winning more gold medals in international games with his twohandless arms.
To realize his beautiful dreamand ideal, he trained harder and took the first places in men’s doubles (TT7)of the ITTF World Para Future Taipei 2025 and in men’s singles (TT7) of theITTF World Para Challenger Kaohsiung 2025 and won a gold medal in the MS7 at theITTF Asian Para Championships 2025 to bring pleasure to the motherland.
Today, he is exerting himselfto return the favour shown by the motherland which translated his dream andideal into reality.
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