The Federation announced the launch of a new governing body for the league, the Korean Wheelchair Basketball League (KWBL), during a meeting at the National Assembly, with the league expected to launch next year.

The League will be comprised of five semi-professional teams in its inaugural season.

There are currently 18 wheelchair basketball teams in South Korea, two of which are semi-professional teams - Seoul Metropolitan Government and Jeju Provincial Government.

The KWBL will make three more teams semi-pro - Holt Wheelchair Basketball Team, Mugunghwa Electronics Basketball Team and Daegu Wheelchair Basketball Team - to form the competition.

Throughout the season, teams will play two matches each weekend for three months between November and March, with All-Star Games also expected to feature at some point throughout the year.

South Korea finished a record-high sixth at the 2014 World Wheelchair Basketball Championships in Incheon ©KWBF



The KWBL will be led by the 2014 Incheon World Wheelchair Basketball Championships Organising Committee executive director, Byun Hyo-cheol, after he was appointed by heads of the provincial wheelchair basketball associations and President of the Korean Wheelchair Basketball Federation Kim Jang-sil, a member of the ruling Saenuri Party.

"I want to express my deepest gratitude for the Government which assisted the launch of the wheelchair basketball league, which has been a long-time wish for the sport's players," Byun told The Korean Times.

"At the same time, I feel a heavy responsibility.

"I will encourage more teams to become semi-professional and do my utmost for the league to become popular."

The league comes after a period of success for the South Korean national basketball teams.

After coming a record-high sixth at the 2014 World Wheelchair Basketball Championships in Incheon in July, the team went on to win gold at the 2014 Asian Games, also in Incheon, after beating Japan in the final.

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