"Just Avoid the Cars..." Can Hand-Pulled Carts Be Used on Sidewalks? [A Han Reporter Goes]

Classifying Handcarts Carrying Waste Paper as Vehicles... Elderly Forced onto Roads
From Traffic Accident Risks to Depression
National Assembly Proposed Amendment Stalled in Standing Committee... Citizens "Hope for Passage in This Assembly"

An elderly man is struggling to load cardboard onto a handcart on the road in a busy area of Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "Cars are scary, fines are intimidating, so we just live like this."

The handcarts pulled by elderly people collecting recyclables are classified as vehicles, and walking on the sidewalk with them results in a fine of 30,000 won. Even if they spend the whole day bending over, wandering through alleys collecting recyclables to sell, a single fine is an amount that their daily earnings cannot cover.

Given this situation, elderly people go down to the road even if they want to walk on the sidewalk. This is why elderly people collecting recyclables suffer injuries or fatalities from traffic accidents.

According to the police, the number of elderly people (65 years and older) who died in traffic accidents while collecting recyclables in Seoul alone reached 21 over three years (2015?2017). The annual death toll was 9 in 2015, 4 in 2016, and 8 in 2017.

A bill was proposed in 2017 to allow handcarts to be used on sidewalks, but it remains stuck in the standing committee due to issues such as handcart size standards.

The bill focuses on the fact that handcarts used by elderly people collecting recyclables expose both drivers and the elderly to safety accidents, and that this issue needs to be resolved.

As a result, voices urging the passage of this bill continue in the 21st National Assembly.

A handcart placed under a building in a busy area of Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

A man in his 30s, Mr. A, whom we met in Jung-gu, Seoul, said, "I just learned that elderly people collecting recyclables cannot pull their handcarts on the sidewalk," adding, "Isn't it dangerous to walk on the road? I hope the law is amended soon."

Another office worker in his 40s, Mr. B, also said, "I have often seen elderly people pulling handcarts while dodging cars," and emphasized, "It seems quite dangerous. Since the National Assembly understands this, I hope it passes this time."

As citizens worry, elderly people collecting recyclables come down to the road and pick up recyclables even when vehicles pass by closely.

A man in his 60s collecting cardboard said, "I don't really pay attention to cars. They avoid me well, and I've been doing this for a long time, so I don't worry." He added, "Accidents are accidents, but since I earn my living daily, the most important thing is how well they pay for the recyclables."

On April 26th, an elderly person collecting scrap paper was loading scrap materials near a bus stop on a road in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

Meanwhile, according to a survey, about 60,000 elderly people nationwide make a living by collecting recyclables.

The hourly income was only about 2,000 won. In a situation where they are forced onto the road, they suffer triple hardships: financial difficulties, low income, and deteriorating health.

According to the "Basic Study on the Status of Elderly People Collecting Recyclables" submitted by the Korea Senior Human Resources Development Institute to the Ministry of Health and Welfare last year, about 66,000 elderly people aged 65 or older were found to collect recyclables based on the 2017 resident registration population. This accounts for 0.9% of all elderly and 2.9% of working elderly.

The income elderly people earn from recyclables was only about 2,200 won per hour on average. Household assets including loans averaged 113.59 million won, about one-third of other working elderly (306.5 million won). The basic livelihood security recipients were 22.61% among recyclables collectors, compared to only 0.64% among other working elderly.

An elderly man is precariously crossing the roadway, pushing a handcart loaded with scrap paper. Photo by Han Seung-gon hsg@asiae.co.kr

Elderly people collecting recyclables were found to be older than other working elderly. The proportion of those aged 80 or older was 8.4% among other working elderly, but 28.9% among recyclables collectors.

In particular, their health condition was poor. The proportion with three or more chronic diseases was 41.56% among other working elderly, but 52.92% among recyclables collectors, more than 10 percentage points higher. Cases suspected of depression were 10.87% among other working elderly, but 33.74% among recyclables collectors.

Experts emphasize that the related bill should be passed in this National Assembly to establish a safety net for elderly people collecting recyclables.

A social welfare official said, "Since elderly people generally have reduced physical functions compared to ordinary adults, the damage from traffic accidents can be fatal," adding, "While passing other bills is urgent, this bill is directly related to the safety of ordinary people, so political attention is needed."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.