Amid ongoing issues such as fragmented operation and lack of services in the government's support program for assistive devices for people with disabilities, there have been calls for more integrated and demand-oriented improvements.

According to a recent report by the National Assembly Budget Office titled "NABO Focus No. 103," it was pointed out that currently, six ministries including the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Employment and Labor, and Ministry of Education are each implementing 11 assistive device-related projects, causing confusion for both people with disabilities and producers due to different legal grounds and support targets for each ministry.

As of 2023, the support performance for assistive devices amounts to over 7.38 million cases, with a budget of 493.2 billion KRW. However, the percentage of people with disabilities receiving support for assistive devices from the government or local authorities still remains at around half. According to the report, the percentage of assistive device buyers among people with disabilities who have experienced support increased from 39.7% in 2014 to 53.0% in 2023, but still, 47.0% are purchasing devices at their own expense.

Furthermore, it was revealed that there is a lack of sufficient use of assistive devices needed for different types of disabilities. For instance, while 10.7% of respondents with physical or brain disabilities stated the need for a wheelchair, the actual usage rate was only 8.3%. The usage rate of magnifying glasses among visually impaired individuals was nearly 5 percentage points lower than the perceived need.

The report identified the causes of these issues as the differing item classification and procedures among ministries, inadequate delivery systems with local communities, limited operation of high-cost assistive device rental services, and lack of post-management. Currently, assistive device rental services are limited to children and adolescents under 24 years old, and there is a demand for expanded rentals to alleviate the burden of high-cost devices and provide various product experiences.

Moreover, it was found that the service levels of assistive device centers installed in each region need improvement. According to user satisfaction surveys of the centers, there were high demands for strengthening personalized device information provision (42.7%), activation of assistive device experience and rental (31.2%), and consultation on support programs (28.5%).

In response, the National Assembly Budget Office proposed key improvement measures such as establishing a cross-ministry one-stop consultation system, strengthening community-centered delivery systems, activating tailored production and post-management of assistive devices, and expanding the choice between purchase and rental. The report emphasized that assistive device support is more than just providing equipment, stating that it is a crucial means for the daily recovery and independent living of people with disabilities, and called for more integrated and sustainable policy implementation.