Disabled Person’s Day in Korea

 

 

On the 42th Disabled Person's day, protests were held in many parts of Seoul, calling for the government to guarantee the rights of people with disabilities. Disability rights activists held a rally in Yeouido to urge the establishment of four major disability-related laws including a disability rights protection law.

 

SADD, which has been leading sabway riding protests, has decided to hold a head-shaving protest campaign and resume the subway-riding protests to urge action to improve mobility rights for the disabled.

 

There are rallies held on this day every year, but this year's rallies draw more attention because there are greater hopes for improving the rights of the disabled. It is because the new administration begins this year, and it is going to establish a five-year disability comprehensive plan.

 

Every five years since 1998, the government has devised and implemented a comprehensive plan to improve the well-being of disabled people, which, as a result, has since made their lives better in many aspects. Thanks to the initiative, a disability pension system was introduced, and the annual disability budget increased to around 4 trillion won, creating more jobs for the disabled.

 

However, people with disabilies, who amount to 2.6 million across the nation, still face discrimination in various forms. The recent protest in the subway held by SADD has put the mobility rights of the disabled in the spotlight. Low-floor buses that are wheelchair-accessible account for only 27 percent of the total buses. 22 out of 283 subway stations in Seoul have no elevators.

 

The mobility rights of the disabled have remained unimproved since a disabled person first brought up the issue in 1984 by taking his own life and leaving a will asking to remove road bumps that block wheelchairs.

 

Freedom of movement is essential to enjoying basic constitutional rights such as working and receiving education. The numbers of single-households with disabilites and elderly people are increasing, and the lack of treatment and care for the disabled has been highlighted especially amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

 

 

[Summary]

 

On the 42nd International Day of Persons with Disabilities, protests were held in Seoul calling for the government to guarantee the rights of disabled people. Disability rights activists demanded the establishment of four majour disability-related laws, including a disability rights protection law. The new administration's plans to implement a five-year comprehensive disability plan has increased hopes for improving the rights of disabled individuals. Despite government initiatives to improve the well-being of disabled people, discrimination in various forms still persists and mobility rights for disabled individuals to exercise their basic rights, and the lack of care and treatment for disabeld individuals has been highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic.