They said the flames will be joined with the first flame for the Paralympics, which has been safeguarded at the Olympic Park World Peace Gate in Seoul since the 1988 Summer Paralympics. With the five flames, the Paralympic Heritage Flame from Stoke Mandeville in the United Kingdom, the birthplace of the Paralympics; the 1988 Seoul flame; and a digital flame will be unified together to create a single flame for the PyeongChang Paralympics.

   After the flames are joined together, Lee Yong-ro, the first disabled South Korean to become a sports professor, will serve as the first torchbearer using a wearable robot named "Walk-On," along with Kong Kyung-chul, who developed the robot. Following them will be actor and PyeongChang 2018 honorary ambassador Lee Dong-wook. He will be followed by former Olympic figure skating champion Kim Yu-na, who will run next to para-cross country skier Bong Hyeon-chae.

   The Paralympic flame will travel a total of 2,018 kilometers, a figure that includes the distance between Seoul and the five cities and counties where the flames were ignited. A total of 800 torchbearers will participate in groups of two to complete the total of 2,018 kilometers to celebrate the year of the PyeongChang Paralympics.

   "I hope the torch relay will break down barriers in society and celebrate inclusiveness and peace across our nation and the world," Lee Hee-beom, the chief organizer for the PyeongChang Paralympics, said in release.

   The 2018 Paralympic Winter Games will take place from March 9 to 18 in PyeongChang and two other sub-host cities. The PyeongChang Paralympics will feature 570 athletes from 49 athletes competing in six sports for 80 gold medals. (Yonhap)