Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
Lotte Duty Free invites foreign disabled youths for cultural exchange
Korean, Chinese and Japanese youths with disabilities pose for a group photo in front of Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, Aug. 14. / Courtesy of Lotte Duty Free
By Kwak Yeon-soo
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Lotte Duty Free has invited foreign youths with disabilities on a tour around Seoul to experience traditional and modern culture here, the company said Wednesday.
About 20 disabled people from Korea, Japan and China participated in the cultural exchange program, co-organized by Disabled People's International (DPI) Korea.
Under the event designed to promote “barrier-free” tourism, attendees went to Lotte Duty Free Family Concert, an annual music festival, and visited major tourist attractions in Seoul.
The company said it plans to make popular tourist spots in Seoul accessible to the disabled.
“There are many disabled people who have not yet visited Korea just because prime tourist spots lack accessible infrastructure,” a Lotte Duty Free official said.
“We wanted to hear from Chinese and Japanese youths and make all-out efforts to make tourism more accessible to everybody.”
After the city tour, the company held a meeting with the participants to discuss ways to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
Many pointed out that restrooms at tourist spots are not disability-friendly.
“There were many places where restrooms were used as warehouses,” said a Chinese participant with visual impairment.
“If attitudes toward people with disabilities improve, more tourists with disabilities will visit Korea.”
Based on feedback from the disabled participants, Lotte Duty Free plans to carry out disability-friendly projects and expand facilities for people with special needs at tourist spots.
“Lotte Duty Free will take small steps to improve the accessibility of the disabled at major tourist attractions in Korea,” said Lee Gap, CEO of Lotte Duty Free. “I hope this will help them lead happy and normal lives.”
Meanwhile, the company has been striving to fulfill its corporate social responsibility by conducting various projects to contribute to society.
Apart from helping the disabled, Lotte Duty Free has been donating household goods to hospitals and schools as well as sponsoring a cultural foundation.