[KS] "Korea Despises Disabled"- Kim DJ
Frank M. Tedesco
tedesco at uriel.net
Sat Jul 11 13:34:10 EDT 1998
> Despising Disabled Should Be Uprooted
>
> 07/08
>
> President Kim Dae-jung yesterday said that Korean society
> should uproot the deeply-rooted tradition of despising the
> disabled.
>
> He regretted that there has been little progress thus far in
> promoting the welfare of the disabled, who are estimated to
> number 4.5 million.
>
> Despite the existence of a law mandating the obligatory
> hiring of the disabled, the majority of Korean companies are
> choosing to pay fines instead of employing the disabled.
>
> Even the productive disabled, namely those capable of
> working, are not given adequate opportunities in society, Kim
> said, adding that those who are unable to work must be
> protected socially.
>
> He called upon the government and the private sector to
> provide benefits for the disabled so that they won't continue
> to feel a sense of alienation.
>
> In foreign countries, many Korean disabled children are
> adopted and they are taken care of as if they were the
> biological children of their parents. But for most people in
> Korea, where bloodlines are emphasized, it would be
> unthinkable to adopt such a child.
>
> Kim said that such a negative national tradition that
> shatters the dreams of the disabled must be corrected.
>
> Kim said that society must do away with the mentality the
> disabled ought to be looked down on. He called upon
> Health-Welfare Minister Kim Mo-im to appeal to TV stations to
> highlight the concerns and sufferings of the disabled. He
> also suggested that the government recognize those who
> dedicate themselves to the welfare of the disabled.
>
> The minister, in a report to President Kim, said that the
> government plans to enable the disabled to manage the vending
> machines which the government has been running, so that they
> can live on their own efforts.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> (C) COPYRIGHT 1998 THE HANKOOKILBO
http://www.korealink.co.kr/14_1/9807/t4151465.htm
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