Parents of People with Disabilities Take to the Streets on Parents' Day... "Forcing Independence Threatens Right to Live"

The Parents' Association of Residential Facility Users for the Disabled (the Parents' Association) and the Korea Association of Welfare Facilities for the Disabled (KAWFD) have called for the protection of housing choice rights for people with disabilities and their families.

According to the Parents' Association and KAWFD on May 8, about 2,000 people, including people with disabilities, their families, and facility workers, gathered on the street in front of the main building of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Sejong City on this day.

They argue that the "Act on Supporting Community Independence and Housing Transition for Persons with Disabilities," which passed the National Assembly plenary session in February, contains certain provisions that apply only to facility users with disabilities. They claim this is self-contradictory and goes against the purpose and intent of the law. They also argue that the law conflicts with existing legislation by denying the definition and function of residential facilities for people with disabilities as stipulated in the Welfare of Disabled Persons Act.

In response, in March, the Parents' Association of Residential Facility Users for the Disabled submitted a petition to the National Assembly requesting the repeal of the law. This petition has received the consent of about 65,000 people and has been referred to the relevant committee.

They emphasized that they are not opposed to community independence for people with disabilities itself, but rather that tailored support and the right to housing choice must be guaranteed according to the type, characteristics, and degree of disability.

From the left, Hyuna Kim, President of the National Parents' Association of Residential Facilities for the Disabled, Minhyun Park, President of the Korea Association of Welfare Facilities for the Disabled.

Minhyun Park, President of KAWFD, stated, "How one lives is more important than where one lives," and added, "Among users of residential facilities for the disabled nationwide, 98% have severe disabilities. The strength of residential facilities lies in the ability of specialized staff?including social workers, nurses, therapists, and nutritionists with professional training?to provide individualized services, enabling people with disabilities to live as confident members of the community."

Hyuna Kim, President of the Parents' Association, said, "The reason my family and I can coexist with my 34-year-old son, who has severe autistic disorder, is because residential facilities exist." She asserted, "While there is talk of respecting the self-determination of people with disabilities, in reality, the opinions of people with developmental disabilities and their families are being ignored, and only independence outside of facilities is being forced upon them. This drives the individuals and their families into desperate situations."

They unanimously called on the Ministry of Health and Welfare to strengthen support for residential facilities, urging the government to take responsibility for improving the quality of life for users of residential facilities for people with disabilities.

They particularly highlighted the issue of budget allocation for staffing structures and environmental improvements. In 2025, the annual budget per residential facility user with a disability is only about 50 million won, while the annual budget per user of activity support services reaches 150 million won. The Ministry's budget for facility improvement projects, which could enhance the environment of residential facilities, has remained unchanged for ten years since 2016. Meanwhile, the construction cost index has soared by more than 30% during that period.

Currently, there are more than 1,500 people on the waiting list for admission to residential facilities for people with disabilities. The number of families making extreme choices is increasing because they cannot find a place for their disabled family member to receive care in time.

President Park emphasized, "It is time for the government to respond to demands for guaranteeing the housing choice rights of people with disabilities, providing practical support for frontline staff, allocating reasonable budgets, and properly recognizing the value of residential facilities as a public welfare service."