Kang Gijeong: "A Barrier-Free City Without Discrimination, Proud Welfare Gwangju Together"

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[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] Kang Ki-jung, the Democratic Party of Korea's preliminary candidate for mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, said on the 20th, on the occasion of "Disability Day," "We will create a barrier-free city, a society without discrimination, and a welfare Gwangju where everyone lives with dignity together."

Regarding the recent controversy over the mobility rights of the disabled involving Lee Jun-seok, leader of the People Power Party, Kang emphasized, "Trampling on the rights of minorities by prioritizing the inconvenience of the majority is uncivilized and autocratic politics," and added, "The state and local governments have the obligation to protect the rights that people with disabilities should naturally enjoy as human beings."

Kang announced disability-related pledges including ▲a regional win-win customized health care package for the disabled ▲establishment of public postpartum care centers for the disabled and multicultural families ▲guarantee of mobility rights for the disabled ▲construction of a Disability Rights Memorial Hall and Gwangju Disabled Persons’ Hall ▲guarantee of labor rights for the disabled ▲establishment of a lifelong education system for the disabled ▲strengthening the rights to independent living for the disabled ▲and enhancement of support for families of the disabled.

The regional win-win customized health care package for the disabled will provide health management programs tailored to the characteristics and life cycles of people with disabilities by linking with local medical institutions and medical health associations, including special health checkups and support for health management costs, and will establish public postpartum care centers for the disabled, multicultural families, and single-parent families.

To guarantee the mobility rights of the disabled, which has recently become a social issue, a four-year roadmap will be established through public-private cooperation, and plans include securing the legally mandated number of low-floor city buses and disabled call taxis, expanding the designation of protected zones for the disabled, and ensuring accessibility for the disabled.

In 2020, the nationwide supply rate of low-floor buses was 27.8%, and eight special and metropolitan cities reached 40%, but Gwangju, despite setting a target of 45% by 2021 in the 3rd Transportation Convenience Plan for the Mobility Vulnerable, currently stands at about 25%, failing to meet the national average.

Also, reflecting the reality that while there are individual welfare facilities used by the disabled, there are no complex facilities linking human rights, healing, and training, a Disability Rights Memorial Hall and a training facility for the disabled will be built on the site of the former Inhwa School, which has strong symbolic significance for disability rights.

By creating 1,000 Gwangju-type public jobs for the disabled and expanding the preferential purchase rate of products made by people with severe disabilities, sustainable jobs and labor rights for the disabled will be guaranteed. Additionally, through the installation of the nation's first deinstitutionalization support center and the enactment of ordinances supporting housing vulnerable groups, housing services such as disability support housing and independent living housing will be strengthened.

Along with this, plans include establishing a Gwangju-type lifelong education system for the disabled, implementing a primary care physician system for the disabled, supporting nursing and caregiving for homebound disabled persons, automatic notification of disability welfare services, expanding district-level disability family support centers, and expanding programs for people with developmental disabilities to strengthen support for families of the disabled.

Kang said, "It is most important to create and implement demand-centered policies based on the rights of people with disabilities themselves," and added, "We will create a world where disability is not felt as an inconvenience and a welfare Gwangju where all citizens live together with dignity without discrimination."

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