Seoul City-Hanwha Solutions, Free Support for Portable Ramps for Disabled at Local Stores
by Lim Chulyoung
Published 10 Mar.2021 06:08(KST)
Custom Ramps Created and Delivered for 19 Facilities Including Pharmacies and Restaurants
Seoul City to Install Ramps in About 580 Small Facilities This Year... Full 290 Million KRW Funded by City Budget
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government has launched an initiative to lower the thresholds of neighborhood stores so that wheelchair users and stroller users can conveniently access small-scale, community-based facilities such as local pharmacies, restaurants, and Korean medicine clinics.
On the 10th, Seoul announced that, in collaboration with Hanwha Solutions, it has custom-made and delivered portable ramps to 19 small-scale community facilities as of February. This portable ramp support project was carried out in connection with Hanwha Solutions' social contribution activities.
The 19 locations were finally selected through a first survey by the Seoul Metropolitan Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities and a second survey by the portable ramp manufacturer. Among small-scale facilities with high public usage, those with thresholds at entrances that made wheelchair access difficult were chosen, and portable ramps that can be freely installed and removed considering sidewalk conditions were provided.
Stickers indicating that the facility is equipped with a "portable ramp" have also been attached to the entrances of the 19 locations. Citizens wishing to use the facilities can request them by phone or other means.
Based on the installation results at these 19 locations, Seoul plans to install ramps at a total of about 580 small-scale community facilities throughout the year. The entire budget of 292.5 million KRW will be fully supported by the city government. Local districts closely connected to residents' lives will select target sites, and ramps will be installed by choosing between portable and fixed types depending on facility conditions.
Kim Seon-soon, Director of Welfare Policy at Seoul City, said, "For some, a 5cm threshold can be a high barrier that makes entry itself difficult," adding, "Seoul will actively support the mobility rights of vulnerable groups through the ramp installation support project for small-scale community facilities."
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