Korea Disabled People's Federation: "A Turning Point for Inclusive Administration"

A significant appointment has been made with a person with disabilities being selected for a high-ranking government position. The Korea Disabled People's Federation expressed deep welcome on the 7th for the nomination of former lawmaker Choi Hye-young as the head of the Public Affairs Office of the Prime Minister's Office, calling it a "significant milestone in expanding the participation of people with disabilities in high-ranking positions."

The nominee, Choi, who has a physical disability, has dedicated herself to legislative activities for ensuring the rights and welfare system improvements for people with disabilities, serving as a member of the Health and Welfare Committee and the chief spokesperson of the ruling Democratic Party in the 21st National Assembly. This nomination is evaluated as a rare case of a person with disabilities participating in a key position in national governance, embodying the government's principle of "inclusive administration."

The Public Affairs Office plays a crucial role in conveying the national philosophy and policy direction to the public. The Korea Disabled People's Federation emphasized that considering the past limitation of people with disabilities entering public office mainly in welfare or specialized fields, the appointment of a person with disabilities to a high-ranking position within the general administrative organization is highly exceptional and unprecedented progress. Particularly, the symbolism and practical significance of this appointment taking place in the Prime Minister's Office, the central organization of government operations, are even greater.

The Federation stated that this appointment signifies a shift in perception recognizing people with disabilities not merely as passive recipients of protection but as active participants in policy planning and execution, aligning with the ongoing demand in the disability community for expanded political participation.

However, challenges were also raised to ensure that this progress does not remain a one-time event. The Federation pointed out that to institutionally guarantee the entry of people with disabilities into high-ranking public positions, a system for recruiting and nurturing talents at the government-wide level needs to be established, and non-discriminatory opportunities and fair evaluation criteria should be established throughout the personnel process.

Furthermore, it was emphasized that since a person with disabilities has been nominated for the Public Affairs Office, the perspective of people with disabilities should be effectively reflected in the future national publicity processes. Therefore, there is a call for various information delivery methods such as sign language interpretation, subtitles, audio, braille, and easy-to-understand information to be systematized across all government departments.

The Federation expressed hope that Choi Hye-young's nomination will serve as a starting point for strengthening the institutional foundation for people with disabilities to participate in high-ranking public positions in various fields in the future, stating that efforts will be continuously made to ensure the substantive participation and rights protection of people with disabilities in national governance as a whole.