The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said Saturday they've agreed to extend their partnership until at least 2032.
   
IOC President Thomas Bach and IPC chief Andrew Parsons held a joint press conference at Main Press Centre in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, to announce the signing of a new partnership between the two sport organizations. 
   
"The IOC is very pleased about this new long-term agreement with the IPC because it was one of the recommendations of our reform program, Olympic Agenda 2020, to enhance the co-operation with the IPC in a way which gives long-term partnership and stability to both organizations," Bach said. 

"This agreement is really a historic step in the relationship and partnership between IOC and IPC. And this is why we are not only satisfied, we are very, very pleased to have come to this agreement and be able to sign it this morning."
   

Parsons said the IPC is looking forward to "deeper co-operations" in other areas of Olympic Agenda 2020, such as the Youth Olympic Games and Olympic Channel.
   
"It's a very comprehensive agreement, not only for the management of the Games but also the brand," he said. "The IOC and IPC will work together to enhance the Paralympic brand, so there’s a lot of co-operation when it comes to branding and marketing. Also, financial contribution from the IOC to the IPC."
   
Parsons that, in particular, he expects to see more benefits of working with the Olympic Channel. 
   
"More than one billion videos have been viewed on the Olympic Channel, so we want in a few years that some millions of them are for Paralympic sport," he said. "We'll work together and it will be one of the main channels to watch para sport and the Paralympic Games." (Yonhap)