Korea : Asia-Pacific

Information about the ICT accessibility in Korea

Recommendation Guidelines to Improve Accessibility by the Handicapped and the Elderly to the IT services/IT products

Chapter 1.GENERAL RULES

1.(Objectives): These guidelines are aimed at making it equally accessible by those who have physical and mental restraints (referred to as "the handicapped and the elderly") to information & telecom hardware & software, content and IT service (referred to as "the IT service/IT products") by herein stipulating the terms of guidelines as recommended to the concerned parties of the government, local government, manufacturers and service providers to be observed when these parties design, manufacture and deliver the IT products & IT services.

2.(Definition of Terms)

The often-used terms of the guidelines are defined as follows:
1. The "accessibility" is a provision of possibility to utilize IT products/IT services to those who want to utilize them;
2. "IT products" refer to IT hardware, IT software & IT content.
3. "IT services" refer to the IT service as defined under the Article 2, Item 2, Act on the IT Network Utilization Promotion & Information Protection.
4. "Manufactures" refer to those who manufacture IT products.
5. "Service providers" refer to those providers as defined under the Item 3, Article 2, Act on the IT Network Utilization Promotion & Information Protection.
6. "Web document" refers to every kind of web-based document for the purpose of information delivery.
7. "Excessive burdens" refers to burdens that require efforts beyond the feasible level of technologies available and appropriate costs.
8. "Universal design" is a design that allows every user an equal access to a certain identical IT products/IT services without having to use a separate means of a subsidiary apparatus.
Definition of the terms that are not hereby defined in the above Item 1, Article 2, shall follow the definition by Basic Act on the Informatization Promotion.

3.(Application Scope)

The scope of IT products/IT services subject to the Recommendation Guidelines is defined as follows.

A variety of IT hardware;
Computer operation system & application software;
IT service as defined by Article 2, Item 2, Act on IT Network Utilization Promotion & Information Protection;
Content delivered on Internet and PC communication and its authoring tools unication and its authoring tools

4.(Universal Design): Manufacturers and service providers make the design of functions/content for their IT products/IT services to be equally utilized by the handicapped/the elderly without having to use a separate means of assistive apparatus, unless this poses excessive burdens on them.

5.(Provision of Compatibility): In case of manufacturers and service providers unable to provide the universal design, they make their IT products/IT services compatible with the assistive apparatus used by the elderly and the handicapped in terms of their design, manufacture and delivery of these products/services.

6.(Recommendation to the Government and Local Government)

Unless it takes excessive burdens, the government, local government and public agents put a priority on the IT products/IT service that can be accessible and usable by the elderly/the handicapped in terms of their purchase and their delivery of IT products/IT services.
Unless it takes excessive burdens, the government, the local government and public agents produce web documents to be accessible and utilized by the elderly and the handicapped.

7.(Recommendation to the Service Providers)

Unless it takes excessive burdens, the network-owned telecom service operators as well as non-network-owned operators, as defined by Item 2 and Item 3, Article 4, Electricity & Telecom Business Act, provide telecom relay service for those who have hearing and language hindrance, when they provide fixed-line telecom and wireless voice phone service, respectively.
Unless it takes excessive burdens, content providers (CPs) among the value-added telecom service providers, as defined by Item 4, Article 4, Electricity & Telecom Business Act, provide an text form of graphic information so that the blind can access to what is shown on the screen by using screen reading device.
Unless it takes excessive burdens, content providers (CPs) among the value added telecom service providers, as defined by Item 4, Article 4, Electricity & Telecom Business Act, provide a readable form of voice information in text format so that the deaf can see the meaning of what is heard on the sound content.

8.(Recommendation to Manufacturers & Service Providers)

Unless it takes excessive burdens, the manufacturers/the service providers make it possible their IT services/IT products to be easily accessible and utilized by the elderly/the handicapped in times of their design, manufacture and delivery of IT services/IT products.
If there is demand by the elderly and the handicapped, the manufacturers and the service providers provide usage manuals in special forms (such as Braille printouts, standard text file, recorded tape, document with magnified character) without charging additionally for these manuals,.
Manufacturers and service providers have any of usage queries on the IT products/IT services from the elderly and the handicapped to be replied by the client supporting tech forces that are run all the time.
Manufacturers and the service providers train every employee on the issue above as identified by Item 1 & 2 of the Article 8.

Chapter 2. Design Guidelines on the Functions of IT Products/IT Services

9.(Complement to hand or arm movement): In case of IT products/IT services that require the movement of hand or arm for its operation, they make input & controlling key or button large enough for the handicapped to use; and also provide a subsidiary means for the handicapped to be able to use the functions requiring delicate adjustment or simultaneous manipulation.

10.(Complement to the response time)

In case of IT products/IT services with input-entering & control functions that take a certain time limit, they provide a subsidiary means for controlling the response time.
In case of IT products/IT services that has a certain time limit for output delivery, they provide a subsidiary means for adjusting the duration and speed of output presentation.

11.(Complement to and Replacement of Eyesight): In case of IT products/IT service that requires eyesight for input/output & control function, they provide a subsidiary means for the handicapped to replace eyesight with hearing sense or feeler in order to use the concerned IT services/IT products; or they provide a means for the handicapped to complement poor eyesight, e.g., by use of screen magnification tool.

12.(Complement to Color Vision)

In case of IT products/IT services that require a color sense for its input & control function, they provide other-than-color means of distinguishing or operating these products/services.
In case of IT services/IT products that require a color vision for screen output function, a color-based delivery of meaning is equally rendered on the black and white screen as is rendered on color screen; and a means for altering colors of letter and background is also provided.

13.(Replacement of and Complement to Audible Message)

In case of IT products/IT services that takes hearing sense to see outcome and operation status after keying input or control, they provide a subsidiary means by which users can use eyesight or feeler to get the delivered status.
In case of IT products/IT service that requires hearing sense for its output function, they provide a subsidiary means by which users can replace hearing sense with eyesight or feeler; or by which users can complement the weak hearing sense, e.g. by use of volume-up adjustment or headphone...
In case of IT products that require hearing sense, they provide function to ensure compatibility with hearing aid products

14.(Replacement of Voice Input): In case of IT products/IT service that takes voice-enabled input, they provide a function by which users can replace voice with human hand or human arm to enter inputs or control.

15.(Complement to Cognitive Ability): In case of IT products/IT service with input/output & control functions, they provide a certain function for those who have cognitive restrains to be able to use these functions independently without confusion.

Chapter 3. Guideline Recommendation on Web Documents

16.(Complement to Graphics & Audible Information)

In the case of a very meaningful graphic information within a web document, they provide an alternative text that holds the same meaning as the graphic information; or they provide a text-only page as an alternative.
In case of a very meaningful audible information within a web document, they provide an alternative text that holds the same content as the audible information.

17.(Complement to Color Vision): In case of a web document's information recognizable only by color vision, they also provide a color-free means of recognizing the information.

18.(Complement to Response Time and Movement): In case of a flickering or moving content within a web document, or in case of an automatically renewed object, they provide a means for adjusting its speed, or provide an alternative page running independently from the movement-triggering attributes.

19.(Independent Access): Web document's objects are designed to be easily accessible by many other assitive devices besides mouse, which use diverse methods of input & control.

20.(Use of Appropriate Document Formula): Web documents are made to be readable by those with eyesight handicaps using the screen reader device.

21.(Use of Frame): In case of a frame used in a web document, they clearly explain each frame's title and how frames are related one another; or they provide a frame-free page as an alternative.

22.(Use of Table): In case of a table used in a web document, the table shall be designed to be clearly understood through an appropriate use of necessary attributes, or they provide a table-free page as an alternative.

23.(Use of Foreign Language): Web document producers refrain from using foreign language or jargon unless it is necessary. If it is essential to use this language, they explain their meaning.

24.(Search & Navigation)

In case of a web document that consists of complicated hierarchy, they provide a proper means for the continuous and clear-cut search or navigation to be ensured.
In the case of a link used for search or navigation within a web document,the link is marked in a simple and clear manner.

25.(Application of New Technology): In case of new technology used in making a web document, they allow users to use old version of web browser in reading the concerned page.

Chapter 4. Supplementary Rules

26.(Mark)

In case of manufacturers and service providers who faithfully observed these guidelines for their IT services/IT products, they can put a certain mark on their products' outer packages or their start monitor screens so that the elderly and the handicapped can easily recognize the mark and choose these marked services/products.
Minister of Information and Communication provides support for the above-mentioned mark under the Item 1, Article 26, to be officially authorized and to be fully utilized.

27.(Appraisal & Survey): Minister of Information and Communication may conduct a survey and appraisal on whether these guidelines are faithfully adopted to the IT services/IT products.

28.(Standardization): Minister of Information and Communication will make efforts to standardize technologies necessary for these guidelines to be abided by.

Appendix

These guidelines become effective on the date of their official announcement.

URLs of useful site

MIC (Ministry of Information and Communication)
KAD0 (Korean Agency for Digital Opportunities and Promption)
IABF Forum ** It doesn't have english site.
TTA (Telecommunication Technology Association)