[News Terms] Korea Uncomfortable for Disabled, Long Way to Go for 'Barrier-Free'

Restrictions on Cultural Activities for People with Disabilities... Only 0.1% Attend Movies, Plays, and Concerts
Domestic Barrier-Free Film Screening Rate Only 0.015%

'Barrier Free' is a compound word combining 'barrier,' meaning an obstacle, and 'free,' meaning freedom. It began to be used after the 1974 United Nations (UN) Expert Meeting on Living Environments for Persons with Disabilities released a report on 'barrier free design.' Literally, it is a social movement aimed at removing physical and institutional obstacles (barriers) to create a society where socially disadvantaged people can live comfortably.

Members of the National Solidarity for the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities protesting while boarding the subway.
Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

Currently, barrier free has expanded to encompass facilities, services, and information necessary for the social participation and rights protection of socially disadvantaged groups.

It refers to a 'living environment without obstacles' where anyone can live safely and conveniently regardless of disability or non-disability, or whether they are general public or transportation-vulnerable individuals. It also includes 'information accessibility,' such as support for keyboard operation and screen readers on mobile applications or websites designed for people with visual, auditory, or motor impairments.

Additionally, barrier free includes the provision of subtitles and sign language in movies, TV programs, lectures, and other educational and cultural opportunities to respect the lives and human rights of others.

Common barrier free designs encountered in daily life include braille blocks, automatic recognition toilets, and pedestrian paths for the disabled. There are also various forms of barrier free designs developed and distributed according to situations, such as transparent masks created for the hearing impaired who communicate by lip-reading after COVID-19.

Recently, barrier free films have also been screened. Barrier free films provide narration explaining all elements shown on the screen, including production logos, characters, and backgrounds, leaving no quiet moments. When closing your eyes and focusing on the film, scenes unfold in your mind like reading a novel.

On the afternoon of the 28th of last month, the French film 'Full Time' (director ?ric Gravel) was screened at the Seoul Museum of History as a barrier free film for people with visual and hearing impairments.

According to the Barrier Free Film Committee, the production cost of one barrier free film is about 14 million KRW. For foreign films, dubbing costs increase the total to about 31 million KRW. A committee official explained, "Due to production cost issues, there are limits to making various films, so only about 6 to 7 films can be produced annually."

There are still many restrictions for people with disabilities to enjoy cultural activities. According to a 2022 survey of 251,277 people with disabilities by the Korea Disabled People's Development Institute, only 0.1% of respondents said they watch movies, plays, or concerts during leisure time.

In reality, there are only one or two barrier free film screening venues per province in Korea. Screening dates, times, and available films are also extremely limited. According to data from the Korean Film Council, as of August 31 last year, the ratio of barrier free film screenings (3,936 times) to the total number of film screenings (25,442,673 times) at CGV, Lotte Cinema, and Megabox over the past five years was only 0.015%.

The National Theater of Korea has also been presenting barrier free performances since 2020, but the proportion of disabled audience members remains low at 5-10%. A National Theater official said, "Even though we provide various conveniences such as transportation support and audio description, it seems that just getting to the theater is a difficult process for people with disabilities."