Opinion

The Central Committee of the Korean Federation for the Protection of the Disabled represents and defends the rights and interests of all persons with disabilities in the country and fulfils its mission to contribute to fully providing them with stable and favourable living environment and conditions in all fields of social life.

The federation positively helps persons with disabilities enjoy their rights in their socio-political life, vocation, education, sports and cultural life, medical service and healthcare.

Thanks to the sincere efforts of the DPRK government and full cooperation of related institutions, a well-knit system has already been established to ensure the rights of the disabled in all fields. It is inconceivable apart from the policy of the government which regards people as the most valuable of all and the social system under which all people form a harmonious family helping and leading one another forward.

Under the system, all persons with disabilities take an active part in socio-political life without discrimination and enjoy their rights equally in the DPRK. 

The federation puts special efforts into education of the disabled.

It works to improve the educational environment and conditions at schools for the deaf and dumb and blind and promote vocational technical education and higher education to fully nurture their creative talents.

It also widely encourages combined education to integrate the classes for ordinary and disabled children and push their education on the same level.

Close attention is directed to ensuring the rights of the disabled to work by taking into account their physical characteristics.

The federation helps persons with disabilities at the working age choose right jobs according to their hopes and demands and provides them with full conditions for rest and working environment including rest at sanatoria and holiday homes. And they receive disability benefits.

For ensuring the rights of the disabled in sports and cultural life, the federation also organizes and runs a variety of sports and cultural events, and works to raise public awareness of the issue and enhance their self-reliant capacity.

Persons with disabilities under the Korean Sports Association of the Disabled fully displayed their excellent skills in such events as table tennis, archery and shooting at the annual sports games for persons with disabilities and amateurs held under the sponsorship of the federation every year and the performances given by the members of the Korean Art Association of the Disabled also won great admiration of the audience. 

The federation performs active and detailed activities in contact with the Ministry of Public Health and other related units to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities to rehabilitation, medical service and healthcare. For the protection of disabled children and provision of their rights the Korean Rehabilitation Centre for Children with Disabilities conducted extensive scientific research and external exchanges on rehabilitation, upbringing and recovery of the disabled children, setting an example of children with disabilities enjoying a happy life just like ordinary ones.

The Central Committee of the Korean Federation for the Protection of the Disabled will as ever fulfil its mission and duty as the institution directly in charge of implementing the policy on the protection of persons with disabilities.