미용실과 치과, 일상의 공간 속 장애인을 마주친 적 있나요? 알지 못했던 그들의 이야기<br /><br />Two days ahead of the International Day of Disabled Persons, Arirang begins its series of special stories.<br />Ordinary places like where you get your haircut, or have your teeth checked can sometimes be hard to reach for people with disabilities.<br />Our Choi Jeong-yoon visited a hair salon and dental clinic for people with disabilities... to see the impact they are having on the lives of the disabled.<br />Here you can get a haircut from a professional with 20 years of experience... by appointment only, in a private room...all for just three-thousand won, which is less than three U.S. dollars.<br />"That’s not the only special thing about this barber shop. This is South Korea’s first and only hair salon just for people with disabilities."<br />For 8-year-old Park Mi-reu, it's hard to stay still for long.<br />In terms of his mental development, he is more like a three-year-old.<br />He's sensitive to loud noises and the feeling of the hair trimmer, so a haircut always requires his mom's full participation.<br />"It always feels like a huge task. He often gets scared and screams. But what really makes it hard is the stares of other people and the feeling of being a burden."<br />But this salon is open to all.<br />The chair is easily movable for guests who come in wheel chairs.<br />And most of all, with years of volunteer work, the hair dresser understands her special guests better than anyone.<br />But what she dreams of is a world without barriers between people.<br />"If there's a wall between the disabled and the non-disabled,... it's hard to bring people together. I hope one day everyone can comfortably get their hair cut in the same place."<br />Another place that can be tough for the disabled is the dentist's office.<br />"These children are prone to cavities as they can't stop themselves from eating too many sweets. They also have a hard time understanding and expressing what the problem is so they end up suffering."<br />Treatments take up to five times longer than for other people.<br />For a simple cavity, some patients have to be tied to a stretcher, or be put under a general anesthesia.<br />"Dental clinics for only disabled people are desperately needed. They require a wide range of treatments, diverse equipment and facilities as well as professional personnel."<br />Despite there being over two-million people with disabilities experiencing dental problems...roughly 85 percent of the disabled population...there are fewer than ten specialized clinics nationwide.<br />And it can even take up to a year to get an appointment.<br />Choi Jeong-yoon, Arirang News.<br />
