By Kim Jae-heun



Local television networks have agreed to expand their coverage of the PyeongChang Winter Paralympics after public criticism of them for not airing major events Korean athletes were competing in. President Moon Jae-in's remark on the small number of channels broadcasting the sports event during a chief of staff meeting held Monday also played a big part in the television networks expanding their broadcasting of the Paralympics.



The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), the main broadcaster of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympic Games, has increased its air time for the Games from 25 hours to 34. It will allocate three hours and 45 minutes more for main events and two hours and 40 minutes more for highlights in between TV programs. Adding six hours of the opening and closing ceremonies, the total is around 34 hours. Documentaries and other special programs on the sports event will also separately be aired for seven hours and 10 minutes.



KBS is currently operating a broadcasting service on its mobile application called "My K," where the Paralympics are aired and it has promised to air more games that Korean athletes are performing in.



Other major broadcasters such as the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) will join KBS to expand their Paralympics airtime.



MBC said it is planning to increase broadcasting hours from 18 to 30 and SBS, which has allocated 32 hours of airtime to the sports event already, said it is considering expanding hours according to demand.



Meanwhile, Nordic skier Sin Eui-hyun, who won the South Korea's first medal at PyeongChang Paralympics, pointed out the small number of hours of Paralympics broadcasting.



"When I go overseas to participate in international games, they broadcast my games. But Korean broadcasters are not interested in the Paralympics," Sin said.



None of the major broadcasters aired Sin's competition despite him being the most expected Paralympic star to win a gold medal.

