[Interview] Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, "Making Nowon Comfortable for People with Disabilities"

Starting with the barrier-free trail at Bulamsan, installations completed at Suraksan and Yeongchuksan, and ongoing at Choansan... Operating the 'Nation's First Disability-Friendly Hair Salon' to remove daily barriers from the perspective of people with disabilities, fostering inclusion as community members through listening, consultation, and experience to enhance policy completeness

Nowon-gu, with 26,403 registered disabled persons in 2024, is a district that fiercely contemplates the protection of the rights and interests of disabled people, reflecting its large disabled population.

On the occasion of Disability Day, Oh Seung-rok, the mayor of Nowon-gu, introduced the vision of Nowon-gu as a disability-friendly city in detail through an interview.

First, there is the mobility and safety of disabled persons. This is the area most commonly cited when recalling the inconveniences faced by disabled people in daily life. Mayor Oh stated, “Mobility for disabled persons is important as it expands the points of contact between disabled people and the world, while also serving as a medium through which they can fully enjoy other fundamental rights,” adding, “We are committed to ensuring that they can travel safely and comfortably anywhere.”

In fact, the district is implementing pioneering projects in the field of mobility for disabled persons throughout the area. Barrier-free walking trails safe for wheelchairs have been installed starting with Bulamsan Mountain, followed by Suraksan and Yeongchuksan Mountains, with Choa Mountain currently under construction. Notably, Bulamsan Mountain, which is connected to all auxiliary facilities of Yeongchuksan and Healing Town and allows wheelchair access to the summit, is a popular outing spot for disabled people, marking the first such installation in Seoul.

To create a street environment centered on pedestrians with disabilities and the elderly, the district removed 1,202 unnecessary bollards installed on sidewalks, lowered curbs at 458 crosswalks, and improved 1,012 tactile blocks annually. Additionally, to solve the significant obstacle of restroom accessibility for disabled persons, a thorough survey of the area led to improvements in 100 disabled restroom facilities. Furthermore, the district has implemented the ‘Disability-Friendly Creation Consultation System,’ which inspects accessibility features from the design stage for all new or renovated public facilities.

Especially useful for wheelchair users, rapid chargers account for about 10% of all units installed throughout Seoul, concentrated in Nowon-gu. The district has also carefully prepared for safety. This year, a dedicated driving practice ground for electric mobility aids was established and began pilot operation in September. Since becoming the first district in Seoul to subscribe to insurance covering accidents during electric mobility aid operation in 2022, the district has lowered the self-pay amount to 30,000 KRW and dramatically increased coverage to 50 million KRW this year.

Mayor Oh also provided detailed explanations about the ‘nation’s first disability-friendly beauty salon,’ which has already been featured in many media outlets. He noted that while visiting a beauty salon is trivial for non-disabled people, it can be a significant challenge for disabled persons, saying, “We personally ensured that every piece of equipment was comfortable and accessible throughout the entire process?from entering the salon, sitting in the chair for treatment, shampooing, to sometimes using the restroom.”

The disability beauty salon, where users express happiness every time they visit, has a social worker on site who not only provides beauty services but also consults on daily life difficulties and connects clients to necessary welfare services. Mayor Oh expressed hope that “through experiences where disabled people go out and live daily lives like non-disabled people, they will gain confidence and become more integrated into society.” The beauty salon, which holds special significance for Nowon-gu, opened its first branch in Sanggye in 2022 and, buoyed by explosive popularity, established a second branch in Gongneung-dong the following year.

The district is also dedicated to supporting social participation of disabled persons. Since opening the nation’s first Disability Employment Support Center in 2021, it has provided about 1,000 employment consultations and placements annually, with 106 people successfully employed. The Disability Family Support Center, which offers solidarity and tailored care for families of disabled persons, supports about 4,900 people annually.

Job creation and independence support are the ultimate goals of disability policy, but the district also pays attention to making daily life enjoyable for disabled persons. As a self-proclaimed ‘Cultural City Nowon,’ the district ensures that disabled persons have opportunities to enjoy culture together. Mayor Oh said, “We have established a system to enhance convenience for disabled persons at all events held by the district, carefully inspecting facilities and arranging sign language interpreters during events. As a result, in 2023, we were selected as an excellent policy case by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.” He mentioned events inviting disabled persons to summer water parks and winter sledding hills, held on closed days to encourage participation from those who usually hesitate for fear of inconveniencing others. Mayor Oh said, “These events, which became unforgettable days for disabled persons, were also meaningful days for the mayor and district officials,” and pledged to create more opportunities for disabled persons to smile in the future.

On the occasion of the 44th Disability Day, at the ‘Disability Day Commemoration Event,’ Mayor Oh reported these visions and policy plans to the residents, who responded with cheers. This was because they could feel the steady progress of the ‘Comprehensive Plan for Enhancing Convenience for Disabled Persons THE Comfortable Nowon,’ which was first established and announced at the same event last year, marking the first such plan among Seoul’s districts. Mayor Oh emphasized that he focuses on improving policy completeness by gathering opinions through various communication channels?including the Federation of Disabled Persons’ Organizations, Disability Policy Council, Disability-Friendly City Monitoring Team, and various facilities and institutions?and holding a total of 42 meetings and consultations. He concluded by stressing the ongoing importance of improving societal perceptions of disability.

First, the district operates educational programs enabling public officials who meet disabled residents in administrative settings to perceive the world from the perspective of disabled persons. Last year, disabled YouTuber Weeracle (real name: Park Wi) served as an instructor for staff education, and this year, developmental disability artist Jung Eun-hye vividly conveyed life with disability to district office and affiliated institution employees. Additionally, staff handling civil complaints receive separate sign language training, and an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) system is being established to ensure that disabled persons with language barriers can receive non-discriminatory administrative services at community centers or district offices.

Customized disability awareness education was also provided to 1,300 children to broaden their understanding of the world and establish values, and this year, it will be expanded to all age groups, including adults. In particular, the district plans to train disabled instructors who consider the characteristics of developmental disabilities to enhance the effectiveness of education. Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “If disabled persons hide themselves and live invisible lives to non-disabled people, nothing changes,” adding, “A Nowon-gu where disabled persons, who need a little more consideration than non-disabled people, are happy is a Nowon-gu where all residents are happy together.”