Gwangju Mayor Lee Yong-seop Communicates On-site with Disability-related Organizations and Others

Seogu Disabled Welfare Center Visit 'Saengsaeng Talk' Held

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] On the 17th, Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, visited the Seo-gu Disabled Welfare Center and held a “Live Talk” with the attendance of representatives from more than 20 disability-related organizations, groups, and facilities, providing an opportunity to communicate directly with the field.

The Live Talk is the first event of the “Special Week for Persons with Disabilities to Overcome COVID-19,” which runs from the 17th to the 20th.

It was organized to listen to the direction that local disability policies should take in the With-Corona situation, discover customized new policies, hear difficulties and suggestions from the field, and reflect them in city policies.

During the talk, disability-related organizations, groups, and facilities requested the promotion of field-tailored policies by disability type, including ▲establishing support measures for persons with brain lesions ▲expanding support for activity assistance services ▲expanding the operation of convenience enhancement technology centers by autonomous districts ▲expanding disability employment projects ▲establishing a branch office of the UN Disability Rights Foundation ▲introducing a primary care physician system for persons with disabilities.

Mayor Lee said, “We will do our best to promote welfare policies that persons with disabilities can empathize with and experience, so that they can enjoy the ordinary daily life that non-disabled people enjoy together.”

Following this, Mayor Lee visited the nation’s first “Integrated Care Center for Persons with Severe Developmental Disabilities” and a disability employment site recycling ice packs to check on the progress of these initiatives.

He also visited the Bangnim-dong supported housing (level 3), which provides 24-hour one-on-one customized care for persons with developmental disabilities, encouraged the workers, and urged special efforts to comply with prevention guidelines to prevent persons with severe developmental disabilities, who find it difficult to voluntarily follow quarantine rules, from being infected with COVID-19.

A parent of a person with developmental disabilities said, “As my child grew, there were many restrictions in daily life and no comfortable days, but thanks to ‘Integrated Care,’ we have found an ordinary daily life,” adding, “I hope many families of persons with developmental disabilities can receive such help.”

In response, Mayor Lee stated, “For the success of the integrated care system, the dedication of the workers is most important. I am grateful for their devoted care of persons with disabilities and management of field operations,” and added, “I expect that the ‘24-hour one-on-one care system for persons with severe developmental disabilities,’ which is being implemented for the first time nationwide, will spread nationwide as a leading model for developmental disability care.”

Mayor Lee Yong-seop plans to visit a shelter for the deaf on the 19th to listen to disability-related suggestions and difficulties.

Meanwhile, Gwangju City opened the nation’s first “Integrated Care Center for Persons with Severe Developmental Disabilities” in March to provide 24-hour care for persons with severe developmental disabilities who are difficult to protect in facilities and are in the blind spots of care. It is currently operated at the Municipal Disabled Welfare Center and the Seo-gu Disabled Welfare Center. If care is needed, inquiries can be made to the Transition Support Team of the Gwangju Metropolitan City Developmental Disability Support Center.

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