Whang Youn Dai

Dr Whang Youn Dai (; born 12 December 1938) is a Korean physician known for her work on the welfare of people with disabilities and her advocacy of sports for those with disabilities. The Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award is named in recognition of her contributions to Paralympic sport.

Early life and education Dr Whang was born on 12 December 1938 in Seoul, Korea. At the age of three she contracted polio which greatly impaired her right leg. Following rehabilitation and surgical treatments, she was able to stand by the age of seven however, she continued to have a limp. She started working as a doctor in Severance Hospital in 1965, focusing on treating child polio patients. The centre provided training in skills and exercise to children and adult and included facilities such as a swimming centre.

Over the next decade, Whang continued her extensive work in the medical profession, particularly focusing on improving experiences for people with polio. She served as director of public relations of the Korean Medical Women's Association and as editor of the Woman Doctor's News between 1987 and 1980.

Work on Paralympic Sports In 1988, Whang served on the Seoul Paralympic Organizing Committee. In her honour, the IPC established the Whang Youn Dai Overcome Prize (called the Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award since 2006) to recognise athletes who exemplify the values of the Paralympics.

Dr. Whang has worked on sports for disabled people in numerous other ways: she was Director of the Korea Sports Association for the Disabled (KOSAD) from 1991 to 1998 (continuing as vice president until 2005), mayor of the athletes' village at the 2014 Asian Para Games, and part of the committees for the 2010 and 2014 Pyeongchang Olympic Winter Games bids. She has received multiple awards in recognition of her work, including the highest award of the Paralympics, the Paralympic Order. She was presented with a Plaque of Appreciation from at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Winter Paralympic Games in further recognition of her contributions to the games.

Personal life She is married to Chung Eun Bae who has also worked on improving the welfare of disabled people in Korea.

Awards and honours

Rotary Foundation Teacher of the Handicapped Educational Award (1972) 5th "Prize of Today's Woman", Wife's Life Magazine (1988) Paralympic Order (2005) Citi-YWCA Women's Leadership Awards (2009) Plaque of Appreciation, Paralympics (2018)