[Student Voices] My Wish: Improve Services for Disabled People
Published: 21 Oct. 2024, 14:35
Mincheol Park, Daecheong Middle School
by Mincheol Park, Daecheong Middle School
On a recent trip to Japan, I rode a wheelchair because my leg was in a cast due to an injury from playing soccer. Before my family and I went to Japan, we thought the trip would be difficult because of my injury. But there were ramps and elevators everywhere. Whenever we went to see a show, we were given a great spot. For example, at the Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa, it was a long distance from the parking lot to the main building. Thankfully, there were ramps along the way, so it wasn’t hard to get there. At the aquarium we watched a dolphin show. Because I was in a wheelchair, my family and I were given seats at the front. We could clearly see the dolphins doing flips, jumping high to touch a pad a trainer was holding, and moving a ball from one side to the other. As I watched the show, I felt wonder and awe because of the dolphins, but also because of the great service I had been given.
In Japan, I found that riding a wheelchair was much harder than walking. Because the wheelchair was heavy, I always needed someone to push me around and had to tell people where I wanted to go. I kept thinking, “I wish I could walk around again. I wish I could walk around again.” Eventually, my thoughts changed to this: “I wish we could improve services in Korea for people in wheelchairs.”
In recent years, the National Association of the Disabled has been protesting in Korea. They are asking for lower buses, more disabled call taxis, elevators in all subway stations in the metropolitan area, and more wheelchair lifts. They protest in crowded places like subway stations and subways during rush hour, because the government doesn’t hear their voices.
Other countries like America and Japan have better services for disabled people. In many parts of America, low-floor buses are mandatory. Low-floor buses have no stairs, so it’s much easier for people with wheelchairs to get on them. Also, the US has “paratransit,” which is like a call taxi for the disabled. These are big vans with extra space for wheelchairs. In Japan, the Barrier Free Law was enforced in 2006. It enabled elderly people or disabled people to move easily through public transportation. Like other countries, we should improve services for the disabled. Korea has some low-floor buses and disabled call taxis, but it is not enough. Also, if there are only stairs in a building or community area, we should make ramps.
If services for disabled people are improved, our society will be a place where all types of people can live together happily. You would see employees in wheelchairs taking a lunch break at restaurants, seniors riding wheelchairs on spacious sidewalks and buying fruits and vegetables, disabled people seated comfortably at sporting events, and people in wheelchairs rolling easily onto buses. Also, when services are improved, disabled children could go to an aquarium and have the same great experience that I had in Japan.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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