Gyeonggi Province Governor: “’Gyeonggi of Opportunity’ Will Stand With the Disabled Through Economic Freedom, Social Participation and Social Care.”
Createdd 2023-04-20 Hit 304
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On the occasion of the Day of Persons with Disabilities, Gyeonggi Province Governor Dong Yeon Kim stated, “Gyeonggi Province is focusing on policies for the disabled in three directions – economic freedom, social participation and social care – so that the disabled can receive ‘more and fairer opportunities.’”
On April 20, Gyeonggi Province Governor Dong Yeon Kim attended the 43rd Gyeonggi Province Day of Persons with Disabilities ceremony held at La Vie D’or Resort (located in Hwaseong City) and said, “We must provide more and fairer opportunities to disabled individuals who face constraints on freedom. If we continue to push ahead within this administration’s term, I believe that Gyeonggi Province will be able to show a better performance than other local governments or even the central government.”
Governor Kim explained Gyeonggi Province’s policy direction for disabled individuals by dividing it into three categories: economic freedom, social participation, and social care.
In terms of economic freedom policy, a “bank account for the disabled” and an “opportunity allowance for the vocational training of the disabled” were cited as examples. In the case of the bank account, if a person aged 19 to 21 with a severe disability saves KRW 100,000 a month, an additional KRW 100,000 will be contributed, enabling the accumulation of approximately KRW 5 million at the end of a 2-year period. In terms of vocational training, qualifying disabled individuals can receive an allowance of KRW 160,000 for use at vocational rehabilitation facilities for the disabled in Gyeonggi Province so that they can achieve greater stability and self-reliance.
Regarding ‘social participation,’ opportunity income for the disabled, opportunity game tickets, and the expansion of mobility rights were proposed. Opportunity income for the disabled would see the monthly payment of KRW 50,000 per person over 6 months (for a total of KRW 300,000) to approximately 2,000 people with severe disabilities; final details for this initiative are being dealt with, including the establishment of a management system for the first payment this year. Opportunity tickets would see tickets for home games of professional sports teams based in Gyeonggi Province discounted by 75% for senior citizens aged 70 or older and for people with disabilities.
Governor Kim also emphasized the expansion of the right to move, citing it as potentially one of the biggest concerns for the disabled. Specifically, in order to expand related transportation, Gyeonggi Province will increase the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles from the current 1,178 to 1,186 (146% when compared nationwide) by 2026.
Integrated operation centered of a metropolitan mobile support center will begin as early as July so that users of special transportation can move anywhere in the Korean capital region without hindrance. Currently, vehicle allocation is performed by the mobility support centers of each city and county, so users face inconveniences due to differing service targets, reservation methods, and fares. Accordingly, in accordance with the Amendment to the Enforcement Decree and Enforcement Rules of the Transportation Convenience Promotion Act for the Transportation Vulnerable, which will take effect on July 19, a metropolitan mobility support center will assume overall vehicle allocation functions while city and county mobility support centers will operate the vehicles and perform associated tasks.
In order to distribute demand for special transportation, voucher taxis (operating as general taxis but compensated by local governments for additional charges) and rental taxis (for which local governments provide basic salaries and allowances to engage general taxis) will increase from 7 voucher taxis and 7 rental taxis to 15 and 11, respectively, by 2026.
Finally, Governor Kim said he would create a Gyeonggi Province-type care system for the severely disabled people through ‘social care,’ stating, “We are endeavoring to do what no one has yet done in Korea… We are visiting about 1,500 households of people with severe disabilities in person in order to better understand their circumstances. We will create a Gyeonggi Province-type care system for the severely disabled based on this.”
Meanwhile, Governor Kim took a “Silent M” taxi operated by a hearing-impaired driver from the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex to the Hwaseong venue. Founded in 2018, Silent M taxis are equipped with a driving assistance program for the hearing-impaired; to date, approximately 50 Silent M drivers have made a total 140,000 runs, traveling a combined 230,000 kilometers.
The Day of Persons with Disabilities event, attended by members of the Federation of Disabled Organizations in Gyeonggi Province, featured the reading of the human rights charter for the disabled, the presentation of commendations and scholarships and the announcement of policies for the disabled in Gyeonggi Province, as well as the taking of commemorative photos.
