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By Seo Eun-mi
Recently, I happened to take one of the new buses in Gangnam, the commercial and residential area developed relatively recently south of the Han River.
The vehicle was a brand new model specially designed for those bound to wheelchairs. I was really glad to take that kind of bus even though I've never seen anyone in a wheelchair on the intra-city public bus line before. Nor was I sure how many of these special buses are running around Seoul.
It's quite uncommon to run into wheelchairs users on the street. In fact, I've barely seen any on the subway or intra-city buses. Every year, many people get into accidents of various kinds and degrees, with some of them ending up confined to wheelchairs. Unfortunately, most of them experience extreme inconvenience in using public transportation, so much so that many give up leaving their homes except when absolutely necessary.
How can we encourage and help them? I hope to see more buildings and public transportation facilities friendly to physically challenged people in our country.
Happily, there are signs that things are heading in this direction. For instance, over the past decade or so, there have been more elevators and escalators installed at subway stations and on buses, indicating concern on the part of our government for the special needs of some of its citizens.
A good model to build upon is the emphasis American society places on such special needs. I've heard that all buildings should accommodate special needs, especially toward those confined to wheelchairs.
I remember being surprised to see some desks specially designed and equipped for left-handers in American classrooms. On a visit to Hawaii in 1997, I saw a bus driver help a passenger in a wheelchair get aboard his bus. Even though it took a few extra minutes away from the bus departure time, no one complained about taking some time for one passenger. I really admired the advanced facilities ― and warm, caring minds ― for the handicapped in the United States.
I must keep familiar with this matter, as I teach at a university and suffer from a slight handicap myself. As a young girl, I was stricken by polio and now suffer a slight walking disability. Although I have little difficulty moving around compared with other physically challenged people, I still experience difficulty taking the stairs in subway stations and I always have to hold the rail for support.
Unfortunately, while I can't help acknowledging advancements in our society such as the bus I rode in Seoul, Korea still doesn't have basic essentials such as elevators for the physically challenged, unlike most buildings in the United States.
Yes, it's wonderful to have more elevators at subway stations for senior citizens and the physically challenged, but there's much more that needs to be done in this important area of humanitarian compassion.
The writer is a professor of English at Howon University and an associate adjunct professor at University of Maryland University College in the Asian Division. She can be reached at emseo@howon.ac.kr or eseo@asia.umuc.edu.
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