The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization are working to establish “barrier-free” tourist destinations, which are set to increase by 20 locations next year, bringing the total to 182. These locations are designed to be accessible to individuals with disabilities, the elderly, and pregnant women. As of now, 162 sites have been developed or are near completion.
This initiative aims to renovate walkways, ramps, and provide accessible facilities at tourist sites, as well as develop inclusive experiential content. Local governments selected for this program receive tailored on-site consultations from disability stakeholders and Barrier Free (BF) experts. Plans are then made to enhance facilities and develop diverse tourism content suited to each location’s characteristics.
Notably, this initiative will allow better wheelchair access to sites like the Paju DMZ tourist area and the Yeongju Sosu Seowon, a World Cultural Heritage site. New programs, including on-site narration for the visually impaired and sign language content for the hearing impaired, will be introduced to improve tourism enjoyment for all.
Here is a brief overview of the selected sites over the years:
– **2015:** Places like Daegu Modern Street and Gokseong Seomjin River Train Village were chosen.
– **2016:** Included sites like Gangneung Jeongdongjin Hourglass Park.
– **2017:** Featured locations such as Ulsan Taehwa River National Garden.
– **2018:** Consisted of Busan Haeundae Beach and others.
– **2019:** Highlighted areas like Chuncheon Nami Island and Jeonju Hanok Village.
– **2020:** Included landmarks such as Suwon Hwaseong Fortress.
– **2021:** Comprised sites like Goyang Haengju Mountain Fortress.
– **2022:** Featured Incheon Wolmi Culture Street and other areas.
– **2023:** Included places like Gongju Tomb of King Muryeong.
– **2024 (Projects in progress):** Includes Jeonju Arboretum and Ulsan Jangsaengpo Whale Cultural Zone.
– **2025 (Planned):** Targeting areas like Geojedo Botanical Garden and Jinju Fortress.
These developments ensure that more people can enjoy traveling throughout South Korea without physical barriers.