Information on the Implementation of
the Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities in the Republic of
Korea
20. Article 30. Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and
sport
20.1 Discrimination against persons with disabilities in tourism and leisure
1) Current status and problems
① Most tourist buses and city tour buses consigned by local autonomies to private companies are not furbished with lifts for wheelchairs, and thus persons
with disabilities who use wheelchairs cannot enjoy tourism or leisure activities
on an equal basis with persons without disabilities.
② Travel agencies that sell travel products home and abroad do not accept applications for persons with disabilities in wheelchairs for packaged tours unless they are accompanied by an assistant or demand additional payment for
the recruitment of another guide for them, and there are cases where they
are denied such products for other tourists may find traveling with persons
with disabilities unfavorable or uncomfortable.
③ Persons without disabilities can use an airplane or train to reach a tourist
destination and from there, travel by renting a car of their choice from a car
rental company, but there are no rental companies that rent cars installed
with driving assistant devices customized to different disabilities for persons
with disabilities.
④ The Initial Report does not state any of the above.
2) Recommendation
① The government should amend provisions so that tour buses and city tour
buses operated in major cities nationwide are installed with lifts for wheelchairs.
② The government should engage in stronger supervision of companies selling
NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF KOREA
41