Yongin City Increases Satisfaction with Policies Reflecting Voices of People with Disabilities

Mayor Sang-il Lee: "Creating a Warm City Without Discrimination Between Disabled and Non-Disabled"

Mr. A, who resides in Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province, asked the social welfare facility 'Haedeunsol' in Baegam-myeon, Cheoin-gu, to take care of his son with an intellectual disability during the recent Chuseok holiday when he visited his hometown. Mr. A was able to travel home with peace of mind, free from the burden of having to prepare his son's meals for every meal. 'Haedeunsol' is a social welfare facility designated by Yongin City as an operator of a full-day care center for people with disabilities.

At the 'Yongin Giheung Disabled Welfare Center' in Bojeong-dong, Giheung-gu, Yongin, there are three autonomous walking robots. These robots assist not only people with severe disabilities but also those with the most severe disabilities in receiving rehabilitation therapy. The smart rehabilitation center equipped with autonomous walking robots has become a must-visit course for disability welfare centers nationwide.

Lee Sang-il, Mayor of Yongin City, is experiencing the facilities at the Giheung Disabled Welfare Center Smart Rehabilitation Center. This place is equipped with three advanced walking robots to assist in the rehabilitation of people with severe disabilities.
[Photo by Yongin City]

Yongin City is attracting attention by promoting various 'demand-responsive' policies that reflect the voices of families with disabilities. Moving away from supplier-centered passive administration, the city is discovering various policies directly needed by people with disabilities and their families. This year, the city has introduced various facilities for people with disabilities applying advanced technologies, such as the 'Smart Rehabilitation Center' at the Giheung Disabled Welfare Center and the 'Augmented Reality (AR) Sports Experience Center' in Yeokbuk-dong, Cheoin-gu, as well as installing 'family changing rooms, shower rooms, and restrooms' for people with disabilities who need family assistance in public facilities.

Helping Rehabilitation of People with Disabilities through Advanced Robots and AR

A person with severe disabilities is receiving rehabilitation therapy with the help of a walking robot at the Yongin Giheung Disabled Welfare Center Smart Rehabilitation Center.
[Photo by Yongin City]

The three three-stage autonomous walking robots at the Giheung Disabled Welfare Center's 'Smart Rehabilitation Center,' which opened in March this year, help even the most severely disabled individuals who find it difficult to move on their own to receive rehabilitation therapy. The center's 'Smart Gym' is also equipped with nine digital exercise machines of seven types, including a game zone, rehabilitation fitness zone, and online fitness zone, allowing users to utilize appropriate rehabilitation programs according to the type and severity of their disabilities. The city provides this equipment at prices lower than those in the private sector.

In June, the city opened the 'AR Sports Experience Center' for people with disabilities and disabled students at the site of the former vehicle registration office in Yeokbuk-dong, Cheoin-gu. This 600㎡ center is the fourth of its kind nationwide and the first in Gyeonggi Province. The center offers facilities such as Para Cross-Country, bike racing, wheelchair racing, XR sports (baseball, archery, bowling, handball, basketball, soccer, etc.), screen shooting, and a 3D motion system to support physical and cognitive activities. Not only people with disabilities and disabled students but also seniors and non-disabled individuals can experience various sports and improve their physical fitness through diverse AR equipment.

Promoting Construction of a Disabled Sports Center with an International Standard Swimming Pool

Yongin City is also promoting the construction of a large-scale disabled sports center with an international standard swimming pool in Samga-dong, Cheoin-gu. Named the 'Bandabi Sports Center,' it will be a facility where people with and without disabilities can use together. The design is scheduled to be completed by next year, with construction starting in 2026.

A view of the site for the temporary parking lot at Yongin Mir Stadium in Samga-dong, Cheoin-gu, Yongin, where the Bandabi Sports Center will be built.
[Photo provided by Yongin City]

Built on the site of the temporary parking lot of Yongin Mir Stadium, this facility will have three underground floors and three aboveground floors, with a total floor area of 52,452㎡. The city plans to include an internationally certified swimming pool with ten 50-meter lanes, certified as level 2 by the Korea Swimming Federation. Additionally, the facility will feature more than 2,000 spectator seats, an aquatic exercise room, and a diving pool.

Above the swimming pool, there are plans to establish a multipurpose gymnasium, squash courts, a fitness certification center for people with disabilities, and a large parking tower with 913 spaces, including parking for people with disabilities. This project passed the feasibility study by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety last year and received a 'suitable' rating in the local finance impact assessment in March this year.

Incorporating Voices of Families with Disabilities into Policies

In particular, Mayor Lee Sang-il of Yongin has announced plans to install family shower rooms, changing rooms, and restrooms in all public buildings with swimming pools completed after the second half of this year, including the 'Bandabi Sports Center.' This policy was formulated after hearing the difficulties faced by parents of disabled students during a meeting with special school principals and parent representatives in May.

The recently established full-day care center for people with disabilities at Haedeunsol is also a result of the mayor's determination. After hearing at a meeting with special school principals and parents in December last year that "there is only one such facility in a northern city of Gyeonggi Province for parents of disabled students who need to leave their children at care facilities due to urgent matters," the city promoted and established this center. The center fills the care gap when family caregivers of people with disabilities are hospitalized due to illness or need to be away for family events or travel.

Since this year, the city has also started providing daytime group or one-on-one support for the most severely developmentally disabled individuals who are cared for at home due to refusal of facility use. Professional staff assist with group activities or personal hobbies tailored to the characteristics of each developmentally disabled person.

Mayor Lee said, "We will continue to listen directly to the voices of families with disabilities and develop truly necessary policies. We will strive to create a warm Yongin where distinctions and discrimination between disabled and non-disabled people are eliminated and citizens care for one another."

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