The Korea National Park Service announced on March 18 that it will produce Braille maps for all 22 national parks across the country by 2026. (Image courtesy of the Korea National Park Service)
SEOUL, Mar. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – The Korea National Park Service announced on March 18 that it will produce Braille maps for all 22 national parks across the country by 2026, in an effort to make these natural treasures more accessible to the visually impaired.
The first Braille map, covering Odaesan National Park, has been completed and will be distributed starting March 19 at the park’s entrance and 110 welfare centers, schools for the blind, and Braille libraries nationwide.
The Odaesan National Park Braille map was a collaborative project between the park service and the National Geographic Information Institute, which began work in August last year. In addition to detailing the park’s facilities and hiking trails, the map uniquely includes Braille descriptions of the flora and fauna within the park’s boundaries. A notable feature is its adaptability for those with low vision.
As part of its broader accessibility initiatives, the park service aims to expand barrier-free hiking trails designed for the visually impaired, with handrails and Braille signage, to 46 sections covering a distance of 39 kilometers by 2028. This year alone, 13 sections totaling 10.5 kilometers of such trails will be completed.
However, the goal of making national parks truly accessible to all remains a distant prospect. As of December 31, 2021, there were only 59 sections of barrier-free trails totaling 53.09 kilometers a meager fraction of the nearly 700 kilometers of hiking trails found in South Korea’s national parks.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
