How the 2026 Chungnam Joint Wedding Empowers Disabled Couples: A Heartwarming Celebration

33 couples with disabilities in Chungnam Province who had delayed their weddings because of financial and social barriers lit their wedding candles and marked a new beginning—belated, but no less radiant.

Chungnam Province held the 26th Chungcheongnam-do Joint Wedding Ceremony for People with Disabilities at the Gongju Baekje Gymnasium on May 8.

The event honored the love and commitment of couples who have supported one another through difficult circumstances and provided a formal ceremony where they could pledge a lifetime together.

About 1,000 people attended to celebrate the couples’ new starts, including Chungnam Deputy Governor Hong Jong-wan, family members, relatives, and volunteers.

The program opened with candle-lighting by representatives of the bride and groom’s parents. It continued with a provincial commendation for contributions to disability welfare, the presentation of support funds, a wedding address by Lee Geon-hwi, president of the Chungnam chapter of the Korea Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities, marriage vows and a declaration of marriage by Seong Woo-jong, president of the Chungnam Community Chest of Korea, and a congratulatory performance by the Gongju Municipal Choir.

Private companies and public agencies donated gifts and household appliances to the couples, adding practical support to the symbolic ceremony. The occasion offered a warm show of respect and encouragement for partners who have stood by each other for years.

Hong Jong-wan said in his remarks, “The candle you light today will brighten not only the time ahead but also the path you’ve walked to reach this moment. Cherish and embrace one another, and become partners who look toward the same future.”

He added, “As the saying goes, ‘A good couple does not face each other; they look in the same direction.’ I hope you continue to support one another and build happy, stable homes.”

Since 2000, the Chungnam joint wedding ceremony has provided couples with disabilities—who otherwise could not hold a wedding—with an opportunity to marry. To date, 621 couples have tied the knot through this program.