A braille map of Odaesan National Park (Korea National Park Service)
Braille maps of Odaesan National Park, located in Gangwon Province, are now available, the Korea National Park Service announced Monday.
The release marks the first of a planned series covering all 23 national parks designed to assist both people with low vision and those who are blind.
Developed in collaboration between the parks administration body and the National Geographic Information Institute, the maps, including the inaugural edition for Odaesan, will be distributed to centers and schools for the visually impaired, the KNPS said.
“We hope these braille maps will give visually impaired people a chance to relax in nature,” said Song Hyeong-geun, head of the KNPS, which is under the Ministry of Environment.
He added that the government will continue working to ensure that all visitors can enjoy the value of national parks without discrimination.
The maps detail the park’s location, highlight facilities and include accessible routes. It also provides information about the park’s plants and animals, such as the fir tree and flying squirrel.
The project began in August 2023 as part of an initiative to make national parks more accessible to all. It aims to complete the development of the 22 other maps by 2026.
The Korea National Park Service also has plans to create barrier-free trails with handrails and braille information boards along 46 routes totaling 39 kilometers by 2028. Additionally, the government says it will introduce ecological experience programs designed for blind visitors.
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