Law of the DPRK on the Provision of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Chapter 1 Fundamentals of the Law on the Provision of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Article 1 (Mission of the law on the provision of the rights of persons with disabilities)

The Law of the DPRK on the Provision of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities shall contribute to establishing a strict system and discipline in providing the rights of persons with disabilities so as to guarantee their social, political, economic and cultural rights in a thoroughgoing way and ensure that they perform their responsibilities and roles as masters of the state and society and lead a worthwhile life as human beings.

Article 2 (Definition of persons with disabilities)

Persons with disabilities are those suffering difficulties in taking part in social life independently owing to long-term physical disabilities and factors of the surrounding environment.

Disabilities include visual impairment, hearing impairment, speaking impairment, intelligence impairment, mental impairment and combined impairment.

Article 3 (Basic principles for the provision of the rights of persons with disabilities)

Providing the rights of persons with disabilities is a consistent policy of the state and the inherent demand of the socialist system.

The state shall ensure that persons with disabilities fully exercise their rights as citizens in the political, economic, cultural and all other realms of social life.

Article 4 (Principle for the provision of the right to equality to persons with disabilities)

The state shall ensure that persons with disabilities take part in social life with equal rights with other persons irrespective of the levels and types of their disabilities and their gender, positions, merits, parents and guardians.

Article 5 (Principle of banning discrimination and maltreatment of persons with disabilities)

The state shall strictly ban all forms of discrimination and maltreatment of persons with disabilities and ensure that their dignity and personality are not violated on the excuse of their disabilities.

Article 6 (Principle of giving preferential treatment to persons with disabilities)

The state shall create a social climate of treating and helping persons with disabilities kindly, and ensure that special treatment is given to the disabled honoured ex-soldiers, honoured workers and honoured battle wounded who devoted themselves to the country and fellow people.

Article 7 (Principle of preventing occurrence of disabilities)

The state shall pay special attention to preventing various accidents, natural disasters, diseases and environmental pollution that may cause disabilities and to minimizing the damage from them.

Article 8 (International exchanges and cooperation)

The state shall strengthen exchanges and cooperation with international organizations, governmental and non-governmental organizations of other countries, organizations of overseas Koreans and individual figures in the field of providing the rights of persons with disabilities.

Article 9 (Applicability of this law)

This law shall be applied to all organs, enterprises, associations and citizens.

International agreements, which are related with the provision of the rights of persons with disabilities and which the Democratic People`s Republic of Korea signed, are as effective as this law.

Chapter 2 Provision of the Social and Political Rights

Article 10 (Basic requirements for the provision of the social and political rights)

Providing the social and political rights to persons with disabilities is a prerequisite for ensuring that they fully perform their responsibilities and roles as members and masters of the state and society.

Organs, enterprises and associations shall create necessary conditions and environment so that persons with disabilities can exercise equal social and political rights with other persons.

Article 11 (Right to elect and to be elected)

Persons with disabilities have the right to elect and to be elected at the elections of deputies to the People’s Assemblies at all levels.

Committees for elections of deputies to the People’s Assemblies at all levels shall organize elections so that persons with disabilities can take part in them without experiencing any inconvenience.

Article 12 (Right to the social and political activities)

Persons with disabilities may join political and social organizations according to their wish and demands to participate in the political and organizational life and social and political activities freely.

Article 13 (Right to work as public servants)

Persons with disabilities may work as public servants according to their relevant qualifications and capabilities.

Article 14 (Right to express opinions)

Persons with disabilities may present, through speech, paper, publication or art work, their opinions conducive to promoting the development of the state and society and to improving the social position and role of persons with disabilities.

Article 15 (Right to lodge complaint or petition)

Persons with disabilities have the right to lodge complaints or petitions.

Organs that deal with complaints and petitions shall provide conditions so that persons with disabilities can lodge a complaint or petition with convenience.

Article 16 (Provision of right in law enforcement)

Persons with disabilities shall be provided with equal rights with others in the field of law enforcement and with legal protection according to the characteristics of their disabilities.

Law-enforcement organs shall take into consideration the specific features of persons with disabilities in dealing with cases and executing sentences.

Chapter 3 Provision of the Rights to Education and Health Care

Article 17 (Basic requirements for the provision of rights to education and health care)

Providing persons with disabilities with the rights to education and health care is an important undertaking for ensuring that they acquire rich knowledge and qualifications and lead a stable life.

The central education guidance organ and the central public health guidance organ shall improve education and medical care for persons with disabilities so that they can take an active part in social life with rich technical and practical qualifications and spiritual and physical capabilities.

Article 18 (Bringing up and education of pre-school children with disabilities)

Education, public health and other relevant organs shall bring up and educate pre-school children with disabilities at kindergartens or specialized rehabilitation organs so that they can be adapted to school life.

The local people’s committees shall take measures for checking out all young persons with disabilities living in the areas under their charge and bringing up and educating them at kindergartens.

A class for young persons with disabilities may be set up at a local kindergarten.

The state, organs, enterprises or associations shall bear the expense for bringing up and educating persons with disabilities.

Article 19 (Registration of children with disabilities at school age and getting them into school)

The local people’s committees and educational organs shall register all children with disabilities who have reached the school age.

Relevant educational organs and parents or guardians of persons with disabilities shall get school-age children with disabilities into school, and shall not commit such an act of excluding them from compulsory secondary general education.

In case persons with serious disabilities cannot receive education at educational organs, the relevant educational organs may allow them to receive education at home or at social security organs according to teaching programme, based on the application and medical examination report by the persons concerned, their guardians or social security establishments where they live.

Article 20 (Setting up and operating schools and classes for students with disabilities)

The central educational guidance organ shall set up and operate schools for students with visual and hearing impairments and classes for students with disabilities at primary and middle schools, based on the regular statistics on children with disabilities at school age by region.

Local people’s committees shall designate supporter organizations for the schools for students with visual and hearing impairments.

The supporter organizations for the schools for students with visual and hearing impairments shall regularly check out the operation of the schools and provide satisfactory conditions for their operation.

Article 21 (Vocational training of persons with disabilities)

Persons with disabilities can get various types of vocational training according to their aptitudes and capabilities.

The central labour administration guidance organ and the central educational guidance organ shall take measures for giving training to persons with disabilities at working age at vocational training establishments run by sector and region.

Article 22 (Higher education for persons with disabilities)

Persons with disabilities can be enrolled at universities and other schools of higher grades (including online education) according to their wish.

Relevant educational establishments should organize entrance examination by taking into consideration the severity and types of disabilities of these persons.

Educational establishments and other relevant organs shall not restrict recommendation and enrolment or expel them from school in mid-course on the excuse of their disabilities.

Article 23 (Scholarships for students with disabilities)

Scholarships shall be granted to the students at schools and in classes for students with disabilities.

Article 24 (Compilation of teaching plans for schools and classes for students with disabilities)

The central educational guidance organ and other relevant organs shall compile the teaching plans for the schools and classes for students with disabilities on the principle of giving them general basic knowledge and combining it with practical training.

Article 25 (Training of teachers for schools and classes for students with disabilities)

The central educational guidance organ shall set up in universities of education, teachers training colleges and continuous educational establishments a system of training teachers for schools and classes for students with disabilities and train competent teachers in a planned way.

Article 26 (Provision of teaching materials and other equipment)

The central educational guidance organ and other relevant organs shall intensify research into braille and sign language and have specialized teaching materials compiled and printed in time and in sufficient amounts according to the characteristics of students with disabilities.

Relevant organs, enterprises and associations shall provide the schools and classes for students with disabilities with teaching aids, equipment, furniture and facilities in a responsible way.

Article 27 (Medical service and hygiene information work)

The central public health guidance organ and other relevant organs, enterprises and associations shall regularly conduct medical check-ups for persons with disabilities and take relevant treatment measures.

Medical service establishments and sanatoriums shall ensure that persons with disabilities receive medical service preferentially without feeling any inconvenience. 

Medical service establishments and other relevant organs shall intensify hygiene information work among persons with disabilities and their family members so that they can become well aware of the physical features and state of the persons with disabilities and protect and improve their health.

Article 28 (Rehabilitation of physical functions)

Medical service establishments and other relevant organs shall conduct rehabilitation of physical functions of persons with disabilities with the stress put on enabling them to acquire physical and mental capabilities for participating in social life independently from their early years.

Families of persons with disabilities and their work units, schools and neighbourhood units shall render active cooperation to their rehabilitation.

Article 29 (Training of rehabilitation experts)

The central public health guidance organ, educational guidance organs and medical educational establishments shall improve the contents and methods of medical education for rehabilitation so as to train skilful experts for rehabilitating persons with various types of disabilities.

Article 30 (Production and supply of prostheses and auxiliary devices)

The central public health guidance organ and other relevant organs and enterprises shall set up a well-regulated system of producing and repairing artificial legs and arms and other prostheses and wheelchair, walking stick, hearing aid, spectacles and other auxiliary devices indispensable for the daily life of persons with disabilities, and produce and supply them on a planned basis.

Prostheses and auxiliary devices shall be designed to be convenient for use and produced in a qualitative way.

Article 32 (Research into rehabilitation of physical functions)

The central public health guidance organ shall ensure that the specialized hospitals, research institutes and rehabilitation clinics conduct research into checking the occurrence and deterioration of impairments owing to congenital and acquired diseases and other factors, identifying scientific rehabilitation methods and developing modern prostheses and auxiliary devices.

Chapter 4 Provision of the Right to Work

Article 32 (Basic requirements for the provision of the right to work)

Fully providing persons with disabilities with the right to work is a basic requirement for enabling them to render contribution to the development of the state and society with the dignity and honour of being members of society.

Relevant organs, enterprises and associations shall create conditions and environment favourable for working life of persons with disabilities so as to ensure that they fully enjoy their right to work.

Article 33 (Working conditions and environment)

Organs, enterprises and associations shall create necessary working conditions and environment for persons with disabilities by taking into consideration their physical features and convenience.

Offices, workshops and other places where persons with disabilities work shall be equipped with labour safety facilities and welfare service amenities so that they can work in safety and without feeling any inconvenience.

Article 34 (Working hours and work norms)

The daily working hours for persons with disabilities are 8 hours.

The daily working hours for persons with serious disabilities and women workers who bring up children with disabilities may be fixed at less than 8 hours.

The central labour administration organ shall fix the working hours for persons with disabilities reasonably according to the types and severity of their disabilities, and relevant factories and enterprises shall fix the work norms for persons with disabilities lower than those of ordinary workers.

Article 35 (Labour allocation and organization)

Labour administration organs, when assigning persons with disabilities to jobs, shall assign them to right jobs by taking into full consideration their physical characteristics, gender, ages, physical constitutions and their own opinions.

Relevant organs, enterprises and associations shall organize labour for persons with disabilities on the principle of ensuring their health and convenience, and shall not second them to irrelevant work.

Article 36 (Provision of rest)

Persons with disabilities engaged in labour shall be provided with satisfactory rest.

Organs, enterprises and associations shall properly organize labour and rest for persons with disabilities and ensure their recuperation, holiday-making and medical treatment at sanatoriums on a regular basis.

Article 37 (Supplementary living allowance)

Persons with disabilities, who have lost working abilities, shall receive supplementary living allowance.

Article 38 (Forming of specialized enterprises and associations for persons with disabilities)

Specialized enterprises and associations for persons with disabilities may be organized by region with an aim to organize their labour in a reasonable way.

The work of forming specialized enterprises and associations for persons with disabilities shall be done by the relevant structural organizing organ.

Article 39 (Provision of conditions for economic activities by specialized enterprises and associations for persons with disabilities)

Privileged conditions for economic activities shall be provided to specialized enterprises and associations for persons with disabilities.

Planning, financial, banking and other relevant organs shall take timely measures aimed at improving the production and management by specialized enterprises and associations for persons with disabilities, strengthen assistance to them by means of various leverage for economic activities and resolve the arising problems on a preferential basis.

The local people’s committees and other relevant organs shall not impose extra social assignments like mobilization of manpower on specialized enterprises and associations for persons with disabilities.

Article 40 (Provision of living conditions at disability care homes, old people’s homes and sanatoriums)

The state shall provide a stable life at disability care homes, old people’s homes or sanatoriums to persons with disabilities, who have no one to support them and lost working abilities, according to their desire.

Chapter 5 Provision of the Right to Cultural Life

Article 41 (Basic requirements for the provision of the right to cultural life)

Fully providing persons with disabilities with the right to cultural life is an important undertaking for enabling them to enjoy a cultured and happy life.

The central cultural guidance organ, the central sports guidance organ and other relevant organs shall create conditions and environment for persons with disabilities to enjoy socialist culture to their heart’s content so that they can become artists and enjoyers of a new civilization.

Article 42 (Forming of cultural associations)

Cultural associations for persons with disabilities shall be formed in the capital city and regions and operated on a regular basis in order to guide and develop in a unified way the sports, artistic and other types of cultural life of persons with disabilities.

Article 43 (Arrangement of artistic activities)

The central cultural guidance organ, organs working with persons with disabilities and other relevant organs shall arrange artistic performances and other artistic activities for persons with disabilities on a regular basis.

The central cultural guidance organ, organs working with persons with disabilities and other relevant organs shall ensure that persons with disabilities actively participate in international art festivals for persons with disabilities.

Article 44 (Arrangement of sports activities)

The central sports guidance organ, organs working with persons with disabilities and other relevant organs shall designate and develop sports events that accord with the characteristics of persons with disabilities and arrange sports games for persons with disabilities on a regular basis.

The central sports guidance organ, organs working with persons with disabilities and other relevant organs shall ensure that persons with disabilities actively participate in Paralympics and other international games.

Article 45 (Training of reserve artistes and sports people with disabilities)

Cultural guidance organs, sports guidance organs and other relevant organs shall select reserve artistes and sports people with disabilities in their early years and train them in a systematic and far-sighted way at schoolchildren’s palaces, juvenile sports schools and other bases of extracurricular activities.

Article 46 (Commendation of artistes and sports people with disabilities)

Artistes and sports people with disabilities, their teachers and coaches and other relevant officials, who displayed the honour of the country at international art festivals or sports games of persons with disabilities, shall be commended and given preferential treatment.

Article 47 (Publicity to the activities of persons with disabilities)   

Media and other relevant organs shall give wide publicity through TV, radio, publications and art and literary works the cultural events by persons with disabilities including artistic performances and sports games and the patriotic deeds conducted by persons with disabilities.

Article 48 (Service by facilities for cultural life and public amenities)

In case persons with disabilities want to receive service by facilities for cultural life and public amenities like theatre, cinema, gymnasium and restaurant,  the relevant organs, enterprises and associations shall provide them with necessary conditions and shall not conduct acts that may hinder their receiving of the service.

Chapter 6 Provision of the Right to the Person and Property

Article 49 (Basic requirements for the provision of the right to the person and property)

Providing persons with disabilities with the right to the person and property is an important undertaking for ensuring that they lead a genuine life as human beings under the legal protection of the state.

Medical service organs, population administration organs, public security organs and other relevant organs shall provide persons with disabilities with the full right to the person and property and to independent activities so that they can live under the social protection and concern.

Article 50 (Protection of children and women with disabilities and their rights)

Children with disabilities, after their birth, have the right to live under the legal protection by the state like other children.

Women with disabilities have the right to give birth to babies and the disabled women with children and women bringing up children with disabilities shall be provided with various living conditions according to the policies of the state.

Public security organs, medical service establishments and other relevant organs shall give special protection to the person and health of the women with disabilities.

Article 51 (Right to marriage)

Persons with disabilities have the right to marry.

Organs, enterprises, associations and citizens shall not infringe upon the right of persons with disabilities to marry or separate their families on the excuse of their impairments.

Article 52 (Support)

Persons with disabilities shall be supported by their family members capable of supporting them.

When they have no family members capable of supporting them, they shall be supported by their parents or children living separated from them, and even when they are not available, the state shall support them at disability care homes, old people’s homes or sanatoriums.

However, where there are persons capable of supporting them and they want to send them to disability care homes, old people’s homes or sanatoriums, they shall pay fixed support fees every month.

Article 53 (Designation of guardians)

Persons with disabilities may designate their guardians.

The guardians shall be their spouses, parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren or siblings.

Problems arising in designating their guardians shall be resolved by the relevant population administration organs.

Article 54 (Duties of guardians)

Guardians shall perform their duties with the main stress put on rehabilitating the persons with disabilities under their charge and improving their abilities to become independent.

Supervision over the performance by guardians of their duties shall be conducted by the relevant population administration organs.

Article 55 (Right to the choice of residence and travel)

Persons with disabilities may reside in or freely travel to places with an environment favourable for their living and health according to their wish.

Population administration organs, medical service establishments, public security organs and other relevant organs shall provide persons with disabilities with sufficient conditions for their residence and travel.

Article 56 (Respect of the person)

When they are publishing or broadcasting publications or presentations, media and other relevant organs shall not use uncultured and nonstandard expressions in describing persons with disabilities.

Article 57 (Right to ownership and inheritance of property)

Persons with disabilities have the right to ownership and inheritance of property.

The right of persons with disabilities to ownership and inheritance of property shall not be deprived of or infringed upon on the excuse of their physical disabilities.

Article 58 (Publishing and broadcasting of publications and presentations)

Media and other relevant organs shall study and develop in a coordinated way braille and sign language, regularly publish braille books and introduce subtitles and sign-language screens into various forms of video recordings so that persons with disabilities can gain full access to various pieces of information.

Article 59 (Development of information technology and means)

The central IT industry guidance organ and other relevant organs shall develop various kinds of specialized information technology and means so that all persons with disabilities can use as much as they want mobile and immobile communication networks and other information communication networks and technical means.

Article 60 (Designing and building work of structures and facilities)

The state construction supervision organ, design organs, urban management organs, construction organs, land and environment protection organs, public security organs and other relevant organs, enterprises and associations, when designing, building or remodelling houses, public buildings and facilities, roads, holiday camps and tourist resorts, shall conduct their work so that all persons with disabilities can use them without feeling any inconvenience. 

Article 61 (Provision of welfare service)

Public catering organs, welfare service organs, public transport organs and post and communications organs shall afford convenience to persons with disabilities on a preferential basis through various forms of service like those of chairs and passages reserved exclusively for them.

Persons whose abilities for independent action are seriously restricted or lost, including those with visual impairment, can ride the means of public transport free of charge.

Article 62 (Protection and assistance in times of emergency)

Organs, enterprises and associations shall take measures for rescuing, treating and assisting persons with disabilities first in times of emergency like natural disasters and spread of malignant diseases.

Chapter 7 Guidance and Control over the Work of Providing Persons with Disabilities with Their Rights

Article 63 (Guidance over the work of providing persons with disabilities with their rights)

Guidance over the work of providing persons with disabilities with their rights shall be conducted by the central organ guiding the work with persons with disabilities under the coordinated guidance of the Cabinet.

Article 64 (Forming of non-permanent committee for the protection of persons with disabilities)

Central and regional non-permanent committees for the protection of persons with disabilities shall be formed to deal with the problems arising in providing persons with disabilities with their rights.

The central non-permanent committee for the protection of persons with disabilities shall consist of senior officials of the Cabinet, commissions, ministries, central organs and people’s committees.

The regional non-permanent committees for the protection of persons with disabilities shall consist of senior officials of the regional people’s committees and their relevant departments.

Article 65 (Operating of non-permanent committee for the protection of persons with disabilities)

The central and regional non-permanent committees for the protection of persons with disabilities shall review the execution of the policy of the state for the protection of persons with disabilities and take measures for resolving the problems arising in providing persons with disabilities with their rights.

The committees shall be operated in the form of meeting and shall meet on a regular basis.

The conditions for the practical work of the central and regional committees for the protection of persons with disabilities shall be provided by the organ working with persons with disabilities.

Article 66 (Duties of the central organ guiding the work with persons with disabilities)

The central organ guiding the work with persons with disabilities shall:

1. Get acquainted with the state of execution by commissions, ministries, central organs and people’s committees at all levels of the policy for the protection of persons with disabilities and report the problems to the central non-permanent committee for the protection of persons with disabilities;

2. Guide the work of the provincial (municipal), city (district) and county organs working with persons with disabilities;

3. Guide the work of the central and regional specialized and sectoral associations related with persons with disabilities including the Blind Association of Korea and Korean Art Association of the Disabled;

4. Arrange and host various internal and external events and activities related with the political, economic and cultural life of persons with disabilities;

5. Receive on a regular basis opinions of persons with disabilities and their family members and relatives and take relevant measures; and

6. Conduct the work with international, governmental and non-governmental organizations, national associations of other countries, overseas Koreans’ associations and individual figures related with the work with persons with disabilities.

Article 67 (Duties of central organs and regional people’s committees)

Commissions, ministries and central organs under the Cabinet shall include in the plans for their development the measures for providing persons with disabilities with their rights and implement them.

The regional people’s committees, as masters responsible for the livelihood of the people in their regions, shall regularly get acquainted with the living conditions of persons with disabilities and take measures for improving them.

Article 68 (Statistics and survey)

The central statistics organ and other relevant organs shall regularly survey the statistical data of the number of persons with disabilities across the country, their living conditions and others and send the findings to the organs working with persons with disabilities and other relevant organs. 

Article 69 (Check and register of persons with disabilities)

Medical service establishments shall regularly check out persons with disabilities in the regions under their charge according to the norms of assessing the severity of disabilities and register them with the city (district) or county people’s committees and other relevant organs.

Registration records of persons with disabilities who have moved the places of their residence shall be sent to the relevant organs in their residential places.

The norms of assessing the degrees of disabilities shall be defined by the central public health guidance organ.

Article 70 (Evaluation of types and severity of disabilities)

Medical service establishments shall regularly define or reassess the types and severity of disabilities of persons with disabilities in the regions under their charge.  

Article 71 (National Day of Persons with Disabilities)

June 18 shall be designated as the National Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Relevant organs, enterprises and associations shall organize various events and activities for persons with disabilities to commemorate the National Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Article 72 (Establishment of foundation for persons with disabilities)

The central organ guiding the work with persons with disabilities may establish and operate a foundation for persons with disabilities.

The supporting foundation for persons with disabilities shall accumulate the funds raised by the central organ guiding the work with persons with disabilities and the funds and aid goods either donated or sent by international, governmental and non-governmental organizations, national associations of other countries, overseas Koreans’ associations and individual figures related with the work with persons with disabilities.

Article 73 (Supervision and control)

Supervision and control over the work of providing persons with disabilities with their rights shall be exercised by the relevant supervision and control organ.

The relevant supervision and control organ shall exercise strict supervision and control over the providing by the state of persons with disabilities with their rights and take timely measures against the deviations revealed in this work.

Article 74 (Warning, serious warning, unpaid labour, education through labour, demotion, displacement and dismissal)

Those who are responsible for the following cases shall be liable to warning, serious warning and unpaid labour and education through labour for three months:

Where hindrance has been caused to the work of providing persons with disabilities with their rights because of improper check and register of persons with disabilities;

Where prostheses, auxiliary devices, wheelchairs and other supplies essential for persons with disabilities have not been properly produced or provided to them;

Where preschool children with disabilities have not been properly brought up or educated;

Where hindrance has been caused to the education of school-age children with disabilities because of failure to provide satisfactory conditions for getting them to school and educating them;

Where public criticism has been raised because of failure to properly recommend persons with disabilities to higher schools and enrol them;

Where persons with disabilities have not been properly posted or provided with conditions for labour without any justifiable reason;

Where the manpower, equipment, materials and funds necessary for the work with persons with disabilities have not been provided well, or where hindrance has been caused to providing persons with disabilities with their rights because of failure in their utilization of sports and cultural facilities in good time;

Where timely solutions have not been given to problems arising in the production, management and activities of the enterprises and associations relevant to persons with disabilities;

Where public criticism has been raised because of careless mobilization of persons with disabilities to irrelevant work;

Where hindrance has been caused to providing persons with disabilities with their rights because social assignments have been given without consideration to the organs, enterprises and associations relevant to persons with disabilities;

Where justifiable complaints and petitions of persons with disabilities have not been received or ignored;

Where a guardian for a person with disabilities has deliberately neglected his or her obligations, thus harming the latter’s health; 

Where damage has been done to personality of persons with disabilities by beating or assaulting them or insulting them with disparaging words;

In case of repetition of the abovementioned paragraphs, punishment of unpaid labour and education through labour for more than three months, demotion, displacement or dismissal shall be imposed.

Article 75 (Penal responsibility)

Where violation of this law is proved to be a crime, the person who is responsible for it shall be liable for penal responsibility according to the relevant articles of the Criminal Law.

Law of the DPRK on the Provision of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities