Disability Mobility Rights Still Far from Achieved: "Repair Facilities for Assistive Devices Must Be Expanded"

Only One Designated Place in Gwangju... Private Companies Cannot Receive Subsidies

Two Employees Handle Repairs, Consultations, and Administration... Dozens of Cases Pile Up Daily

#. Park Jun-seok (62), who can only move by electric wheelchair, has been unable to leave his home since the 29th of last month. This is because his electric wheelchair, the only means of mobility he has, was not working. Although he requested repairs at a facility for repairing assistive devices for the disabled, the repairs were delayed due to a backlog, and it took about two weeks to complete the repairs while waiting for ordered parts. Park said, "Being confined inside the house for two weeks without going out felt suffocating, as if I were in prison."

It has been 42 years since the government officially recognized and held commemorative events for the Day for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities on April 20, yet the mobility rights of people with disabilities are still not guaranteed, and they continue to experience inconvenience.

A representative from the 'Gwangju Jiche Jang-aein Association,' which supports the repair of assistive devices for people with disabilities through government funding, is repairing a wheelchair at the Eoullim Independent Living Center in Buk-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City.
[Photo by Min Hyun-gi]

When an electric wheelchair, an essential means of mobility for people with physical disabilities, breaks down, there are far too few places to take it for repairs, and it takes several days after registration before repairs can be made, increasing the inconvenience for people with disabilities.

According to Gwangju Metropolitan City on the 20th, the only repair shop in the Gwangju area that can receive government subsidies for assistive devices for the disabled is the 'Gwangju Association of the Physically Disabled,' which is designated and operated by the city.

Typically, the cost for replacing an electric wheelchair tire is 8,000 won, footrest repair is 10,000 won, light replacement is 50,000 won, and an electric wheelchair battery costs around 100,000 won. Among these costs, basic livelihood security recipients and near-poverty groups are exempt from repair fees up to about 200,000 won per year, and other disabled persons receive a 50% exemption on self-payments up to 100,000 won per year.

There are private companies other than the city-designated Gwangju Association of the Physically Disabled, but private companies cannot receive government subsidies. Because of this situation, repair requests from people with disabilities inevitably concentrate on the Gwangju Association of the Physically Disabled, the only one in Gwangju.

The number of assistive device repairs received by the association has been increasing every year: 1,406 cases in 2019, 1,458 in 2020, and 1,639 in 2021. Although dozens of cases pile up daily, only two employees handle repairs, and they also take on administrative and counseling duties. These two form one team and handle about five repair cases per day at most. It is insufficient to handle the dozens of pending repairs.

The problem is that compared to other local governments, the number of assistive device repair shops eligible for national subsidies is significantly lower. There are two in Daegu, four in Busan, two in Daejeon, three in Jeju, and even 67 in Gyeonggi Province.

Also, in Jeollanam-do, there are four companies in Suncheon and Haenam, but the remaining 19 cities and counties rely on only one center, the 'Jeollanam-do Assistive Device Repair Center' located in Muan.

Currently, Gwangju City provides about 170 million won annually to the Gwangju Association of the Physically Disabled. About 60 million won is used for personnel and operating expenses, and the remaining approximately 110 million won is used as repair support funds.

Despite the ongoing inconvenience for people with disabilities in the Gwangju area, a review of Gwangju City's '2023?2026 Comprehensive Disability Policy Plan' confirmed that there are no plans to expand repair facilities.

Jung Sung-joo, director of the Gwangju Nanum Center for Independent Living of Persons with Disabilities, pointed out, "A broken wheelchair means losing one’s legs, and it leads to situations where even hospital treatment cannot be received," adding, "Gwangju City should step up to increase the number of assistive device repair shops eligible for national subsidies, but it seems they have no intention of doing so."

In response, a Gwangju City official said, "As far as we know, there are currently no plans to expand the assistive device repair facility centers," and added, "We will actively gather opinions to improve convenience for people with disabilities."

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