Commission calls for accessibility

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (Nhrck) has asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) to “take more active measures to make local films accessible to people with visual and hearing disabilities” through subtitles.

In May 2017, a hearing-impaired consumer went to Lotte Cinema to see a local film, but wasn’t able to because the theater did not provide subtitles. The consumer filed a petition in November 2017 saying that the lack of proper services for the hearing-impaired was discrimination.

Yet the commission rejected the claim as the theater was not required to offer subtitles in a cinema with less than 300 seats, according to law.

However, the commission felt the need to call attention to the issue because there have been 14 similar petitions filed against local cinemas, including Megabox, Lotte Cinema and CGV, claiming that customers do not have access to accommodations that they need.

In response to the objections, the commission asserted that the ministry should take the necessary financial, technological and administrative actions to provide the necessary accommodations for the disabled.

By Lee Jae-lim