Disability Archives | Be Korea-savvy
Disabled Rights Advocates in South Korea Submit Hand-Drawn Petitions for Pictorial Ballots

Disabled Rights Advocates in South Korea Submit Hand-Drawn Petitions for Pictorial Ballots

SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Korea Bizwire) – A group of people with developmental disabilities submitted hand-drawn petitions to a Seoul court on October 29, just days before a crucial appeals court ruling on their lawsuit demanding pictorial ballots to ensure their voting rights. Korea People First and other disability rights organizations displayed the artistic petitions during a [...]

In a K-Pop First, Deaf Members Debut as ‘Big Ocean’

In a K-Pop First, Deaf Members Debut as ‘Big Ocean’

SEOUL, Mar. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – In a groundbreaking move for South Korea’s phenomenally popular K-pop music scene, a new group composed entirely of deaf members will make its debut next month on National Disabled Persons Day, according to their agency, Parastar Entertainment.  The trio, called Big Ocean, consists of Lee Chan-yeon, Park Hyun-jin and Kim [...]

Study Reveals Accelerated Aging in Disabled Individuals, Prompting Calls for Better Health Measures

Study Reveals Accelerated Aging in Disabled Individuals, Prompting Calls for Better Health Measures

SEOUL, Feb. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – A recent study has shed light on a concerning trend: individuals with disabilities experience signs of aging significantly earlier than their non-disabled counterparts, often by more than a decade.  The research points out that people in their 20s with disabilities exhibit rates of hypertension, sarcopenia, and other age-related conditions similar [...]

South Korean National Rehabilitation Center Develops Assistive Devices for People with Disabilities

South Korean National Rehabilitation Center Develops Assistive Devices for People with Disabilities

SEOUL, Dec. 21 (Korea Bizwire) – Innovations that transform seemingly mundane tasks into accessible achievements for individuals with disabilities have been developed at the National Rehabilitation Center’s ‘Open Fabrication Studio’ in Korea. Among these innovations are a safety nail clipper that can be operated using hands and feet, and an assistive device for putting on socks [...]

Seoul Metro to Ban All Subway Protests by Disability Advocacy Group

Seoul Metro to Ban All Subway Protests by Disability Advocacy Group

SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — Seoul Metro, the operator of Seoul subway lines No. 1-8, announced measures Thursday to ban all subway protests by a disabled advocacy group after they resumed their morning rush-hour protest this week. Seoul Metro said it came up with the three-step countermeasures against Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD) on [...]

PPP Chief in Controversy After Criticizing Disability Advocacy Group over Rush-hour Subway Protests

PPP Chief in Controversy After Criticizing Disability Advocacy Group over Rush-hour Subway Protests

SEOUL, March 28 (Korea Bizwire) — Lee Jun-seok, the chief of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), has found himself at the center of controversy with daily attacks on a disability advocacy group over their rush-hour protests causing delays in subway services. Lee has been posting messages critical of the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination [...]

Top Court Says Bus Companies Must Provide Equipment to Board Wheelchairs

Top Court Says Bus Companies Must Provide Equipment to Board Wheelchairs

SEOUL, March 8 (Korea Bizwire) — The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday the failure by bus companies to provide equipment to board wheelchairs of handicapped passengers was in violation of the Disability Discrimination Act. The top court reached the decision in the case launched by three handicapped plaintiffs against the central government, the Seoul and Gyeonggi [...]

Disabled People No Longer Obliged to Disclose Disability to Insurance Companies

Disabled People No Longer Obliged to Disclose Disability to Insurance Companies

SEOUL, Apr. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean insurance companies can no longer ask disabled people to disclose their disability before extending coverage, according to financial authorities. The Financial Services Commission (FSC) announced plans on Monday to abolish the obligation for the disabled to reveal disabilities to insurance companies in a move to eradicate discrimination against [...]