미용실과 치과, 일상의 공간 속 장애인을 마주친 적 있나요? 알지 못했던 그들의 이야기

Two days ahead of the International Day of Disabled Persons, Arirang begins its series of special stories.
Ordinary places like where you get your haircut, or have your teeth checked can sometimes be hard to reach for people with disabilities.
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.
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.
"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."
For 8-year-old Park Mi-reu, it's hard to stay still for long.
In terms of his mental development, he is more like a three-year-old.
He's sensitive to loud noises and the feeling of the hair trimmer, so a haircut always requires his mom's full participation.
"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."
But this salon is open to all.
The chair is easily movable for guests who come in wheel chairs.
And most of all, with years of volunteer work, the hair dresser understands her special guests better than anyone.
But what she dreams of is a world without barriers between people.
"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."
Another place that can be tough for the disabled is the dentist's office.
"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."
Treatments take up to five times longer than for other people.
For a simple cavity, some patients have to be tied to a stretcher, or be put under a general anesthesia.
"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."
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.
And it can even take up to a year to get an appointment.
Choi Jeong-yoon, Arirang News.