Forum with disability groups, experts held on first Disability Abuse Prevention Day

Minister pledges active review of expanded jobs, activity support for people with disabilities

Budget discussions also promised for integrated care expansion for severely disabled

Park Hong-keun, minister of the Ministry of Planning and Budget [Yonhap]
Park Hong-keun, minister of the Ministry of Planning and Budget [Yonhap]

The government is reviewing whether to expand disability pension eligibility in next year's budget, and has signaled it will actively consider broader fiscal support for people with disabilities — including more jobs and stronger activity support services.

Park Hong-keun, minister of the Ministry of Planning and Budget, visited the Seoul Metropolitan Welfare Center for the Developmentally Disabled in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on Monday, toured care facilities for people with severe developmental disabilities, and held a roundtable with disability organizations and experts. The forum was organized to gather input from disability policy stakeholders on the occasion of Disability Abuse Prevention Day, a statutory commemoration established last year following an amendment to the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities Act.

After reviewing the center's care operations, Park thanked staff for their work. "I am grateful to those who quietly fulfill their duties at the front lines of supporting people with the most severe developmental disabilities, who need the most intensive care," he said. Park added that he would actively discuss with related ministries the budget needed to fulfill the national responsibility for developmental disability care. That includes expanding the pool of recipients for daytime activity services, broadening integrated care for those with the most severe developmental disabilities, and raising service unit costs. The government plans to expand the number of daytime activity service users for people with developmental disabilities to 30,000 by 2030.

At the forum, disability organizations called for expanding disability pension eligibility, increasing job opportunities for people with disabilities, and broadening activity support services. Groups particularly urged that pension coverage be extended to include people with a single Grade 3 disability classification.

Park said the government is actively working with related ministries toward expanding disability pension eligibility next year in line with national policy goals, and is reviewing how to reflect that in the budget. Currently, the disability pension is paid to people with severe disabilities aged 18 or older whose income falls in the bottom 70 percent.

Park also expressed support for expanding disability employment. "I agree on the need to expand jobs so that people with disabilities can achieve income stability and contribute as members of their communities," he said, adding that the matter would be actively reviewed during next year's budget formulation process.

On expanding activity support services, Park said the government would closely examine whether current service levels are sufficient and review ways to expand support so that people with disabilities can be adequately assisted in their daily lives. He added that when integrated care was fully launched in March, the program was extended to cover people with severe disabilities under 65 with high medical needs, and that the government plans to gradually broaden eligibility going forward.

"On the occasion of the first Disability Abuse Prevention Day, I am reminded once again of the state's duty to protect the rights of people with disabilities," Park said. "We will actively provide fiscal support so that people with disabilities can stand as rightful rights-holders, not merely as subjects of protection."


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