Gwanak-gu Ranks 1st Among Seoul Districts in Disability Welfare Project Evaluation

Nation's First Electric Wheelchair Driving Practice Center Operation, Only Nationwide Safety Rescue DB for Disabled and Evacuation-Vulnerable, Leading Efforts in Smart Integrated Care for Solitary Disabled Praised

Gwanak-gu (District Mayor Park Jun-hee) received the Excellence Award in the "2023 National Local Government Disability Welfare Project Evaluation" hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Notably, it achieved the highest score among the autonomous districts of Seoul.

The national local government disability welfare project evaluation was established in 2020 to review the achievements of local governments nationwide in their efforts for disability welfare and to discover and spread exemplary cases.

The district previously received the Grand Prize in the 2021 evaluation and has now earned the honor of winning for the second time this year.

The evaluation was conducted on 42 cities, counties, and districts recommended by metropolitan governments. An evaluation committee composed of experts from disability organizations, academia, and public institutions assessed 14 items across four categories: ▲support for disabled persons' independence ▲support for disability services ▲disability welfare delivery system ▲exemplary cases, ultimately selecting 12 outstanding local governments.

In this evaluation, Gwanak-gu was recognized for its efforts to actively promote a more systematic and pioneering disability welfare policy under the vision of "An Inclusive City Gwanak Responsible for a Better Life for Disabled Persons."

Particularly, it was highly praised for promptly responding to changes in the disabled population structure and welfare paradigms, and for striving to provide customized services considering regional characteristics and the needs of disabled persons.

One in four disabled persons in the district lives alone (27%). To address the blind spots in care for single-person disabled households, the district introduced non-face-to-face care services using artificial intelligence (AI), and in July, opened the disability complex facility "Gwanak-gu Disabled Happiness Center," establishing a demand-centered service delivery system.

The district also worked to expand social participation and improve the sustainable quality of life for disabled persons. To enhance mobility rights, it became the first in the nation to install an "Electric Wheelchair Exclusive Driving Practice Ground" to prevent safety accidents and improve driving skills, operating safety education programs.

Gwanak-gu also established the "Disability Tourism Activity Travel Expense Support System," another national first. To guarantee cultural and leisure activities for disabled persons, it supports all travel expenses including bus fares, fuel costs, and travel insurance up to a limit of 500,000 KRW.

Additionally, the district supports "Electric Mobility Device Insurance Enrollment" to reduce the psychological and economic burdens of using electric mobility devices and to encourage active social participation. This insurance covers third-party bodily injury and property damage compensation up to 20 million KRW for accidents occurring during the operation of electric mobility devices.

Furthermore, Gwanak-gu attracted attention for establishing the "Nationwide Unique Safety Rescue Database for Vulnerable Evacuees," in collaboration with fire agencies, to promptly and safely rescue disabled persons with mobility difficulties, the elderly, and other disaster-vulnerable groups during fires and other emergencies.

Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, stated, "We will continue to spare no support so that disabled and non-disabled residents of Gwanak can live as healthy and equal members," adding, "We will devote all efforts to creating 'Gwanak, the Leading Inclusive Welfare City' where neighbors can live happily together."