Photologue @theuostimes7
"Barrier free" means reducing and removing barriers so that everyone can participate in society, and is a word mainly used for coexistence with the disabled and the elderly.
As the digital environment develops, more and more stores are using kiosks. The issue of accessibility of kiosks has been raised mainly for the elderly, but the disabled are also having a lot of difficulty using kiosks. In the case of people with physical disabilities, it is difficult to operate in wheelchairs because kiosks are installed high. In addition, in the case of blind people, it is difficult to select the menu they want because the screen reader does not work in the kiosk, and they can use the kiosk only when they ask for help from others.
"Barrier-free subtitles” are needed for the deaf to fully enjoy cultural contents such as movies and dramas. Unlike general subtitles, barrier-free subtitles show all sound information such as lines, daily noise, and background music in text. It means that they can read sounds they cannot hear through subtitles. However, it is difficult to see barrier-free subtitles in Korea. In 2019, there were more than 200 Korean films screened in domestic movie theaters, of which only 30 were provided with barrier-free subtitles. In addition, VOD and OTT service platforms rarely provide barrier-free subtitles. This is in contrast to overseas countries where barrier-free subtitles are active to increase media access for the disabled.
In addition, the revision to the law pending in the National Assembly mandates the introduction of kneeling buses when city bus companies bring in new buses. It is an essential means of transportation to guarantee the right to travel for the vulnerable, such as the disabled and the elderly. However, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the nationwide kneeling bus penetration rate remained at 27.8 percent in December last year. This is far below the government target of 31.5 percent 2011 and 42.1 percent by 2021.
Barrier-free is the best way to break down not only the "institutional barrier" between the disabled and the non-disabled, but also the "barrier of mind." The UOS Times hopes that interest in barrier-free will expand so that all disabled people can be comfortable without any inconvenience.