(Unofficial Translation)

I am glad to meet you all. I am standing here with a very joyful heart. I thought about how special needs students and their parents must be more pleased than anyone. I wanted to extend my immense gratitude to all of those who have worked hard to establish a special education school after readily accepting the request.

At last, Korea’s first national university-affiliated special education school will take its first step today at Kongju National University. Beginning in March 2024, students with disabilities who aspire to an education will come from across the nation to Kongju National University Special School. They will be able to foster their own dreams by studying digital and cultural content, marketing, the biohealth industry and other fields. This will be the first case of curriculum tailored to talented special needs students being taught in conjunction with the specialized educational resources of one of our national universities.

Kongju National University President Won Sung-soo; Professor Lim Kyoung-Won, head of the group preparing for the Special School’s founding; Gongju Mayor Kim Jeong-seop; Chairperson Lee Suk-hyeon of the Gongju Municipal Government’s Citizen Committee; special education teacher Bok Heon-su; and many others have provided emotional and material support. I am deeply grateful to all of them. National Assembly members Choi Hye-young and Kim Yea-ji as well as Kongju National University Department of Special Education students who will open up the future of special education are also joining us. I feel truly reassured.

The Government has increased the number of special education schools, classes and teachers to help special needs students develop their aptitude and nourish their dreams in a better environment. Over the past four years, a total of 14 special education schools have opened, and 1,717 new special classes have been created. In addition, the percentage of schools assigned special education teachers – which was just 67.2 in 2017 – has been raised as high as 82.4. The founding of a special education school in a national university has now opened the door to students with disabilities for more specialized and systematic education.

In March 2024, Pusan National University will open a special education middle and high school for the arts. This is truly welcome news to artistically talented students with disabilities. The following March, Korea National University of Education in Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, will open a special education middle and high school for physical education. Gifted students and professional athletes with disabilities will be nurtured.

The power of education has enabled the Republic of Korea to surmount numerous adversities and achieve progress. All of us should have the same opportunities and be able to contribute to society in an equal manner. Special needs students should also be able to develop themselves through quality education and cultivate expertise that can be of help to their careers and jobs. The accessibility to and the convenience of higher education and lifelong learning are still at low levels for those with disabilities; they should be improved significantly. The Special School at this national university is a truly meaningful first step toward this end.

Jobs are the basis of self-reliance for special needs students and the foundation from which they step into society. They should be able to find jobs that suit their various aptitudes, interests, dreams and needs and go out into the real world. To this end, many more diverse special schools and classes that provide quality education have to be established in every corner of the country. The Government will also strengthen the integrated support system available to students with disabilities throughout the different stages of their lives and strive to expand the foundation for vocational training and create jobs. The Government will lead by example and do everything possible to ensure that parents never again have to kneel down to plea for the establishment of a special education school.

There is an African proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Raising a child is not easy, but the child raised by the village will in turn help the village grow. It is a sad reality that there are still many people in some areas who do not welcome the establishment of special education schools for students with disabilities. I ask them to think of these students with a more open mind as if they are their own children.

I hope that Kongju National University Special School sets a good example of a  special education school where not only students with disabilities but also teachers, school staff and local residents all come together with one heart and mind to raise our children.

Thank you.