Gangdong-gu Launches Full-Scale Initiative to Create a Smart Disability-Friendly City

Increasing Mobility Rights for Disabled through 'IoT Technology-based Disabled Parking Management System Installation' at Government Office Parking Lot... Full Replacement of Old Sign Language Video Phones with Tablet PCs to Provide Administrative Convenience for Disabled

Sign Language Interpretation Tablet PC

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) is actively promoting the creation of a ‘Smart Disabled-Friendly City’ by applying various smart technologies to everyday life.

As the first step, in August last year, to increase mobility rights for the disabled, the district office introduced a disabled parking management system using ‘IoT (Internet of Things) technology’ in the parking lot within the government building, providing ▲real-time guidance and enforcement against illegal parking in disabled parking spaces ▲information on parking space status ▲one-touch parking lot guidance services.

In February this year, to expand information access rights for the hearing and speech impaired, 22 sign language interpretation video phones installed in the district office’s civil service departments and community service centers were completely replaced with tablet PCs.

The district recognized the need for various smart assistive devices tailored to different types of disabilities and replaced the outdated video phones not simply with new ones but with tablet PCs, also providing ▲AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) assistive devices ▲tools for calling disabled taxis ▲and electronic book services for comprehensive disabled welfare guides.

In March, to prevent inconveniences experienced when using facilities accompanied by wheelchairs or strollers, the district plans to create a map using a ‘map platform’ from a portal site, showing the ‘cumulative information on the installation status of convenience facilities’ in public facilities within the area, and distribute it in the form of QR codes.

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, “We will actively utilize various IT technologies in the daily lives of disabled people to complete Gangdong as a disabled-friendly city,” expressing high expectations for the smart transformation of disabled welfare services.